Ryou Bakura: Harbinger of Trouble
by DoraCatBuu
Summary: Redone as of 2008. Ryou is abducted from his home by vampires, and winds up in a prison governed by a Mystic. Meeting the woman named 'Sami,' Ryou travels back to Domino to help her stop the evil she has sensed there. Can he survive the adventure?
1. It's not really that bad, is it?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Technically, this is my first fanfiction idea. I'm simply tweaking it years after writing it. Why? I don't know. But I don't own YGO. And, yes, I'm using my own character. Sue me.

It was a dark, inky night as Ryou Bakura sat in his room, looking out the window. It was late, but that didn't matter much to him. He was used to staying up late, and he needed some time to think. Unfortunately, it always seemed that the best time for that was inevitably very late at night. That day had been a terrible day for the pale boy as he sat on the sill of his window. He was once again terrorized by the fan clubs that sprouted up at school, he had been chased by squirrels as he tried to cut through the park on his way him, and someone stole his book bag, either for kicks or to actually take something, he didn't know then. Not to mention, his father had just left for a business trip that day. The last was something he was used to, but he always hated what it entailed: that he was alone. Well, technically, he did have the spirit, Bakura, but he hardly counted as company. Bakura was only good for one thing: Annoying Ryou. And just as Ryou thought that, he felt a stir from the ring on his neck.

"It can't be _that_ bad, can it?" Bakura asked, appearing in the room. He had heard every thought Ryou had, and subsequently disapproved of every one of them, as well. Ryou nearly jumped, not expecting to hear Bakura, or even to see him appear in the room. Bakura rarely seemed to care about what problems Ryou had most days. Grumpily, Ryou turned to face him, frowning.

"I'd love to see you deal with crazy girls, demonic squirrels, and bullies trying to take your things," he grumbled angrily. Bakura arched an eyebrow, half-amused with Ryou's impatience, and then shrugged, sitting on the bed. If Ryou didn't want to explain, he certainly wouldn't force the boy. He tried to pick up a doll, but when he couldn't, he snorted. He had a feeling he wouldn't be able to, but it never stopped him from at least trying. Finally, though, he looked at the clock and sighed.

"I'm going to bed," Bakura said, "It's one in the morning. You should get some sleep, too." Ryou didn't move. Bakura sighed and vanished again, leaving the boy to look outside in the rain. He felt empty. Walking to his desk, he picked up his cup and tried to drink, finding it empty as well. He tossed the cup about, as Bakura had obviously finished his beverage for him. He was about to go get another drink when the air suddenly felt very cold. It sent shivers up his spine. The window burst open, and Ryou immediately tried to shut it, but the wind was too much. Every time he closed it, it blew right back open. Finally, the window shattered, and Ryou fell back as it did so, trying to shield himself from the cascading glass as it sprayed in all directions. He heard his door break down, and as he glanced over to it, he saw that at least ten vampires appeared. Their skin was ghastly white, and sheet thin on their bodies, their eyes glowering red. He could tell what they were, simply because they had fangs protruding from their mouths. He wanted to scream, but that wouldn't help him now. He had to fight.

"How did you get here!?" he asked, scrambling up as one of them lunged for him. He rolled out of the way, knowing he wouldn't get any answers. No, he would need to try and fight, something he doubted he'd do successfully. He needed Bakura's help for this. He jumped over his bed, where the ring laid, having snapped off when he was flung through the air, landing on the other side of it.

"Get back!" Ryou yelled, grabbing the ring, but it made no difference. The vampire simply snatched it and threw it out the window. Ryou screamed this time. He couldn't call for help now, which he sorely needed. Diving out of the way once more, he immediately got a baseball bat from his closet, but when he hit another vampire with said bat, it splintered to pieces. The vampire in question was unharmed. Another vampire picked him up by his collar and shook him, making Ryou feel not only dizzy, but weakened as well. Then he was thrown into the dresser, as he heard himself scream again. He became aware that blood was trickling down his back, and now he feared the worst. Ryou tried to open his eyes, to see if they were advancing, but he felt too weak. He was losing too much blood, and he knew… he knew that any moment, they'd get to him, either to bite him or kill him. Finally, he passed out, unable to hold on, and the vampires picked him up. One of them looked down at him, and grinned.

"We have… the boy… in question," it hissed, "Let's… go back. She will be pleased…" With that, they carried him off into the windy, stormy night, without so much as a look back on the destruction of his room.

Ryou slept for what felt like many, many days after that. When he finally regained consciousness, he found that he couldn't move, nor did he want to. The pain was too much to bear. But when he heard shuffling outside of his room, he forced himself to become alert. The shuffling grew louder until it was in his room, and it stopped. He smelled something, but couldn't place what it was. Not that it surprised him; he couldn't place anything that had happened to him at all. Not only did his body feel like lead, his mind felt even worse so. Still, he was aware that someone was in his room, and though he didn't see them, he could hear. That was enough for him at that point.

"Are you awake yet?" came a voice Ryou couldn't recognize. It wasn't aggressive, but it wasn't very gentle either, "You've been asleep for a while. Come on, you need to get up." It sounded a bit older than himself, but it was a young voice nonetheless. The voice left a minute later, though, obviously uninterested in waking him further. Ryou forced himself to sit up, and looked around. Whoever had been there before, wasn't there anymore. Nothing looked like his room, and for the moment, he couldn't remember just how he had gotten there, as he took a good look at everything. But, as he sat there, examining the dark room, he remembered vaguely the attack that he'd gone through.

"Where am I?" Ryou whispered to himself, his head still swimming, "This isn't my room…" He got off of the bed. The room was dark, lit only by two candles. The curtains were thick, and by the smell of it, musty. The hall was no better as he walked out. The torches added more light, but not enough, and some of them looked crooked, as though trying to be forcefully removed. He ignored them, and continued on as a loud bell rung through the hall. It felt as though his bones would shatter if it rung again. Covering his ears, he ran to the dining hall. He nearly tripped on something, but didn't care to see what it was. He wanted to get out, and the sight he saw made him want it all the more as he entered what he was sure was the dining hall. He nearly screamed, but seeing as he didn't want to attract any attention from what he now stared at, he kept his silence.

"W-what!? What are those things?" he asked, shivering as he looked at the room's occupants. The people in the room all smelled horribly of carrion, and their skin was a mixture of grays, greens, and white. Their clothes were tattered, and their hair was greasy to the point of it slipping off of their heads. He could only find one word for them as he screamed, "_ZOMBIES!_" Despite his scream, no one appeared to have noticed. He nearly screamed again, but just then, a hand clasped his mouth shut forcefully, resulting in another muffled scream.

"Shut it up or you'll get us in trouble," hissed the same voice from before, and Ryou distinctly heard that it was feminine, "Come with me." Unable to fight, Ryou was dragged to a table and seated immediately. He saw his pursuer, and gazed with confusion. A young woman, with piercing green eyes and long black hair looked back at him, but what intrigued him were her purple bat wings, her cat ears, and a long tail wrapping around her leg. He blinked, at first unable to grasp that she was a non-human.

"What are…" Ryou tried to ask, but she stopped him with one finger and shoved a plate of food to him. He stared at it blankly, wondering if it was actually safe for him to even eat. When he didn't move, the woman sighed and shook her head.

"Eat," she said sternly, and when he did, she continued, "My name is… Sami. I'm… here to help you, so if you want to get out, you would do best to listen to me." Ryou nodded, eating his food. Whoever this woman actually was, he didn't feel it was particularly safe to question her, at least not just yet. Something about her scared him, but she said no more until he finished. Likewise, he didn't question what it was, either, as he ate forkful after forkful of the food. It turned out to be edible, but incredibly bland. Either way, he was grateful to have something in his stomach. It must've easily been days since he had last eaten, something he made note to ask about. When he finished, he looked up at the woman again, who simply watched him in silence. He smiled weakly.

"I'm Ryou Bakura," he said quietly, and for the first time, Sami smiled. She held out a hand, which he shook, and then she nodded.

"A pleasure," she said calmly, "I'm… quite surprised to find someone like you here." Ryou looked up at her as he took another bite of his food. Her tone seemed kind enough, but there was an undertone he didn't want to trust. Perhaps it was because she wasn't human, but he couldn't be sure. He had never met a non-human.

"Someone like me?" Ryou asked, frowning slightly, "What do you mean?" Sami tilted her head carefully as she examined him, and her eyes softened just a little bit.

"Never mind," for some reason, she felt that was a suitable answer, "The point is, I would never have expected to find you in a place like this. And now that I have, well… let's just say I've decided to help you." Ryou's lips thinned. He truly had no idea what the hell this woman was talking about, but for now, he went with it. She seemed trustworthy enough. Another moment passed as he ate a small serving of what he hoped was spinach. It was tasteless.

"So… Sami, eh?" he asked, trying to start some form of conversation. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to go for it, and he quickly asked, "That's not a common name, is it?" She gave a curt nod.

"It's not my real name," she replied, "Just one I've taken for a while. Use it." Ryou's eyebrow rose. For someone he just met, she was awfully comfortable with pushing him around. He didn't like it much.

"Then what's your real name, Sami?" he asked, his voice just a few degrees too cold. Sami's smile faded. Obviously, he said something he really shouldn't have, but there wasn't much use in taking it back. He barely knew her to begin with. And, in her mind, she'd rather keep it that way.

"Not something you should know, young man," she said sternly, "Not that I could tell you. I don't know it myself. For now, you will use the name I gave you." Her voice held an authority Ryou didn't want to argue with, so he simply agreed. Silence passed again, and Ryou felt increasingly uncomfortable with this woman. Not because she was threatening, but something else was coming from her, some form of energy Ryou wasn't sure he liked. It was as though she were hiding something from him, as though he should know her. But he couldn't place it. He had never met her before.

"…so, how come you approached me?" he asked her, hoping to learn something of her without making it too obvious that he didn't trust her. Her own eyebrows rose, peering over the red glasses on her face. She seemed amused by the question.

"Hmm…" she seemed to be wondering what to say, "Why did I approach you… well, again, young man, it's not something you need to know." Ryou was quickly sick of that answer. No longer wanting to feel nice, he went on the offensive.

"You like to tell me I don't need to know anything, don't you!?" he snapped, and this time, he noticed instantly the change in her mood. Her frown worsened, but just for the second it took for it to pass. Her expression smoothed. That also bothered him. By all rights, she should've been offended. Chances are, she probably was.

"Relax," she told him, and her smile slowly returned, "I'm not one to kick you when you're down, kid. But I can't tell you why I approached you. I doubt you'd believe me much anyway, not after what you've been through." Ryou's exasperation and confusion really must've shown, for she said, "Calm yourself, kid."

"Calm myself!? I'm sorry, but I just met you and you're telling me to be calm!?" Ryou cried in disbelief, "How can I possibly trust you!? And what are you even talking about!? I can't just be calm for the hell of it! Give me a rea…" Ryou nearly screamed when a dagger went his way, slamming into the ground next to him. He looked from the dagger to Sami, and realized that indeed, he really offended her. And, whoever she was, she liked to wield weapons. Sharp, pointy ones, at that. She leaned over, looking him dead in the eye.

"I suggest you listen to me if you like having two eyeballs," she growled, "I have a patience limit, Ryou." That definitely scared him. He backed away from her, wondering just how skilled she was with a dagger. He found he didn't really want to find out. She leaned back in her seat.

"I'm… I'm sorry," he replied quietly, "Please, don't kill me." Her face softened, and unexpectedly, she managed a chuckle. It seemed out-of-place.

"Don't scream at me again and I won't," she promised, her mouth going just slightly crooked, "Now, as much as I enjoy chatting, I want you to eat that food." Again with that bossy attitude! Ryou wasn't even sure if he wanted to eat with her telling him to. But, he did know he was still hungry. So, he picked up his fork again and ate another bite. It was still dry, and now it was getting cold.

"Ick…" he said, disgusted. Sami just flat-out laughed.

"Tastes like horse shit, doesn't it?" she asked, and her language actually surprised him. She seemed reserved just a moment ago. Then, he thought, he was probably making too much assumption on that. He nodded.

"It's definitely not appetizing," he agreed, a smile also forming on his face. Sami nodded, and crossed her arms, watching. Probably to make sure he actually ate it, but what he couldn't see was why she'd want that. She just said it tasted… well, to be nice, it tasted _bad_. She seemed amused, nonetheless. And that comforted Ryou. It was much better than when she was angry, at least.

"Aye, but you're still going to eat it," she told him, and his mouth dropped. Who was she to make that decision!? And why _was he just letting her_!? Well, he certainly had to nip that one in the bud if she actually thought they were going to be friends. No friend of his would order him so.

"Why do _I_ have to eat this!? I just got here!" he cried, and Sami just snorted, shaking her head. Either he was truly amusing her greatly, or there was yet another thing she knew that he didn't. Either one meant foolishness on his part.

"Wrong, Ryou," she told him, grinning, "You've been here for nearly a week." Ryou's eyes widened. A week. A week here, alone, away from his family, away from his friends. Someone _must_ have noticed, but he highly doubted Sami would know this. Still, a week!

"…a… a week?" he whispered. Sami nodded again.

"A week," she replied, and pointed to his plate, "Now, eat that or I will shove it down your throat." Ryou didn't disbelieve that for a second. Keeping quiet, he ate a bit more of the food. Or at least tried to. But it still tasted horrible. But… if it kept Sami from throwing that dagger again, he'd eat anything. And that thought was what kept him eating, with Sami watching all the while.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Well, the pilot is done. And Ryou met what could be the most useful ally he has thus far. But is she trustworthy, and who exactly is she? What does she mean by him having a chance? Find out next time, so click the Review button!


	2. Introductions: Enter Sami

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he's iffy with me using Sith here. Trust me, most people are. I don't really care, either.

"So," Sami said, as Ryou finished his meal, "How exactly did you get here?" Ryou drank his water, swallowing hard to remove the horrible taste in his mouth, and relayed what he could to her. All he remembered were the vampires bursting in, and his feeble attempt to stop them, but he knew nothing more. Sami listened as best as she could, saying only "I see," when he finished. She looked down, obviously having something else on her mind, and when she didn't appear to respond to him, he decided to ask her about herself this time. Even though the last time ended in nearly killing him, something told him she might be a little more persuasive.

"And you?" he asked her. Sami looked startled by the interest, but answered anyway. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but she didn't know what he'd believe. Though he didn't know, she could sense that he was somewhat afraid of her, which she found to be both amusing and worrying all the same. She sighed as she looked down once more.

"Myself," she began, "It was a quick pass for me. I was involved in a car accident… a serious one. The details shouldn't be spoken of now, but I wound up in the hospital. By all rights, I should've been dead, but I'd managed to survive. Unfortunately, when _they_ came, I was… helpless to stop them. I was barely able to move then, my injuries were that great." Ryou's eyes widened as Sami's seemed to narrow almost bitterly. He couldn't believe that she was even more helpless than he had been; after all, she nearly _killed him with a dagger_ with little effort. Had they disarmed her before then?

"They took you!?" he asked, that being the only question he could form right then. Many others formed quickly, but that was one that struck the most in his mind. He couldn't believe creatures like them had been able to take hold of someone like Sami.

"Yes. From what I've gathered of this place, they work directly with the Mystic of this realm," she replied grimly, her eyes glowing just a slight blue, "One of whom we should beware, Ryou. She has us here for a purpose, though of what is it, I would be foolish to speak of." Ryou noticed she tensed a bit when she spoke, and he didn't want to think of where they'd end up, should they meet this Mystic, whatever that was. He sighed. He had so many questions, but not one of them seemed to be answered for right now. Sami was obviously hiding something, but he couldn't understand what or why.

"What is this place?" he asked, thinking that a relatively safe thing to ask. Sami looked around before answering; she must've been afraid someone else would overhear. It started to grate on Ryou a bit. He didn't know why anything could cause her to be so cautious.

"We're in a place called Sylatone," she replied grimly, "Some form of prison, I think. What it does, I'm not entirely sure, but I know that a Mystic is running it, and that whoever that is can control the dead. And because you're not dead, I'm taking you with me when I escape." Ryou had no idea what a Mystic was or how anyone could control the dead, but what really got him was when Sami basically implied a kidnapping. He _barely_ knew this woman, and she was already making plans on taking him away from here. He didn't know whether to be thankful or terrified. He banked on terrified.

"What!? Why!?" Ryou asked, "I don't know you!" Sami laughed, hearing the complete panic in Ryou's voice. Her eyes twinkled, and her frown began to disappear. He was amusing her. Leaning over the table again, she spoke in a much softer tone.

"But you do know I'm alive, and that's what matters," she replied gently, "I'm not letting her turn anyone into her slave if I can avoid it. I… managed to save one boy. A real work he is, too. He refuses to talk to me, but… in a sense, I'm not overly surprised." She sounded both amused and upset by this, and Ryou tilted his head. She saved another boy? It sounded almost like she was aiming to storm the place and revolt, but when Ryou had asked her about that, she simply laughed again.

"I'm serious. Are you revolting?" he asked again. Sami narrowed her eyes, her smile widening just slightly as she nodded.

"And what of it?" she asked heartily, and then grew somber as she said, "It's necessary. They have no right caging us up, Ryou." Just as she spoke, a guard happened to be walking by. He glared menacingly at Sami as he passed, and Ryou saw his hand flying toward the mace he carried. Ryou glanced at Sami in warning, but she was much faster. She mumbled something, and the guard stopped, eyes widened. At first, Ryou thought he'd seen something frightening a ways away, but then he dropped dead, his head slamming to the floor in a mighty crash. Ryou stared right at Sami, wondering just what she said.

"What did you do!?" he asked, backing away. He had guessed that whatever she'd done, she just murdered a guard. And, she didn't even flinch with it. She let out a heavy sigh, trying to remain as calm as she could. Even if she wanted to react, Ryou was already frightened enough.

"…if you think I just killed a man, you're correct," she began, and shifted her seat back, "And I will kill again if they look at me in such a way. It's an act of mercy. I'd really rather not set them aflame." Ryou blinked as he watched her walk out of the dining hall from that point. She had just killed a man, and for all intense and purpose, she didn't appear to care. He bit his lip. He was alone now. He had a choice: he could still follow her and have a chance to leave, or he could stay and never leave. It all depended on how much danger he was willing to risk right then. And the answer was that he was willing to risk anything to get back home. He ran right after her, ignoring the stares he got as he left the hall. If he had any hope left, it would rest with her.

"How do we escape?" he asked her suddenly, as they walked down the hall together. She glanced at him, and stopped. As it was, she really wasn't sure she wanted a friend sticking by her, but now that she considered it… an ally would be useful to her. At least for a while. She smiled, as they continued.

"Explosives," she said simply, her lips breaking into a confident grin, "Might not work, but it's worth a shot to me." She stopped after a few moments, and looked at the door they were in front of. Silently, she opened it and peeked inside. When it satisfied her, she slipped in, dragging Ryou with her, which caused him to yelp. He had never expected to be sneaking around with so many guards around them. Nor had he expected her to have the strength she did have. Even for a non-human, she was incredibly strong.

"What are we doing in here?" he asked nervously, as she bent down and laid something on the ground. She looked back at him and smiled vaguely, moving her hand to reveal the device she was using. It was a small, brown circle with a red flashing light; a land mine, from the looks of it. Ryou eyed it carefully, but she seemed to have no worries about it. She must've used them before.

"I'm setting up the explosives. I want you to be a lookout. It'll be no use if we're caught," she explained, and Ryou knew that in a way, she was telling him to do his job. He nodded, and turned as she continued setting up more of the mines. The hallway seemed awfully dark now that he actually looked at it, and he wondered just what secrets this castle held. Not that he had any intention of finding them. Sami wanted to leave, and he certainly wasn't going to object to her. Not unless he wanted another dagger aimed at him. Which he definitely didn't.

"Who sets them off?" he asked when he heard her set a third one down. He could more feel than see that she was grinning again as she stood up, walking over and putting a hand on his shoulder. He felt relieved; she had some sense of comradery, it looked like.

"No one," she explained, walking out, "They're set to explode when someone other than I enters the room once I leave. I've placed them above the sewer line, which weaves out underneath the castle. I think it'll be the easiest way out. At least, if we plan to live." Ryou nodded; he didn't feel the need to argue with her logic just yet. As much as he hated sewers, the sewer was a classic way to escape unseen. He went to touch the ring, to fill Bakura in on what happened for the past while, but he soon found an obstacle regarding it. Mainly, it was missing. He couldn't remember not having it before, and now he glanced at Sami, wondering where it could've been. She hadn't mentioned it.

"Sami? Can we look for something while we wait?" he asked, and she raised an awkward brow, "I lost a necklace of mine, and I want it back." Sami smiled, nodding, and they continued on, turning a corner. She glanced at him again.

"What does it look like?" she asked. After all, if they were going to find it, she'd need to know what it actually looked like. Ryou looked up at the ceiling. He should've recognized it by heart, but his head was still cloudy from just waking up.

"It's… well, circular, with a triangle in the middle, with an insignia on it," he began, "It has five dangling points, and it's golden." Sami brought out the object in question, and it shone a resilient color. "How did you get it!?" Ryou exclaimed as she handed it to him. Her sly grin returned.

"I'm good at many things, Ryou," she replied, "I stole it. They kept it in the entrance hall, and when I saw it, I knew I'd be needing money when I escape. I was going to sell it, but if it's yours…" Ryou put it back on his neck, smiling gratefully at the woman. He hadn't expected much from her, but he was surprised with every second. What surprised him most was her willingness to help him. He wanted to thank her, but she had already turned away. Quietly, she led him down another short hall that opened up onto a large balcony above the entrance hall, overlooking a beautiful fountain in its center. The water sparkled with many different colors. And it threw light everywhere, making the room feel bigger and more cheerful than it was. It seemed out of place, but it was pretty.

"It's gorgeous!" he whispered, and Sami nodded.

"That it is," she replied quietly, "The last fountain I visited, my dog rushed in and splashed himself with water." Ryou looked at her, and noticed that as she spoke, her voice went distant. He began to wonder if she had anyone to go home to. She hadn't mentioned it, or spoke of anyone she was planning to see. And that made him… sad. He felt she should have something more in her life, and taking a huge leap, he made an assumption about it.

"Your family must miss you," he said gently. He expected a smile and a nod, but what he got startled him. She turned to him, her face gaunt and hard. She stared at him for a moment, and then she laughed mirthlessly.

"I have no family," she replied bitterly, and walked away, "Come now. We need to leave before the guards get here." Ryou blinked, wondering what he said to make her so upset, or if she was actually serious, but he shrugged and followed. He didn't plan to lose her just yet. But as he watched the stiffness with which she walked, he was sure he _would_ lose her, and he'd lose her fairly soon. They continued on until Ryou began to recognize the hallway. Somehow, they had done a full circuit around the castle. Either it was a small circle, or they'd been talking longer than he thought. Only when they came to right outside of his door did Sami stop. She turned to him slowly, her face almost grave in the dim light.

"I don't like to involve children, but circumstances find myself wanting to take you along. It will be dangerous to go, but if you decide otherwise, know that now," she said firmly, "I will be back in three hours for your answer. Please try to have one by then." She turned and walked down the hallway before Ryou could answer her. He felt that might've been just as well; he had no idea what he would've said to her, anyway. Part of him was scared. She was obviously planning something, and she was definitely hiding something from him, as well. That made him suspicious. If she knew anything that would help him, he really wished she'd just tell him about it. It was better for him to know ahead of time. But then he reasoned that if she _was_ hiding anything, it was for a good reason. And he probably shouldn't pry unless he wanted another knife nearly buried in his chest. And, he really didn't want that. Silently, he went into his room and closed the door. He needed some time to think about what was actually going on. Thankfully, Sami had given him three hours. Taking the ring off, he sat down on the bed. Normally, he'd have wanted Bakura's opinion, but he felt he should've cleared his own head before letting an old spirit fill it back up. And that's what he was doing as he laid his head in his hands.

"This is more magnificent than anything I could've thought up in a game," he said to himself, quietly at first, "I don't understand it at all. First, I was attacked, and I'm not even sure why. Why attack _me_? Why bring me _here?_ Sami seemed just as confused about that as I am." He felt relieved that he wasn't the only one thoroughly confused with that riddle. He had no idea what a Mystic was, or what one would've wanted with him. Likewise, he had no idea what Sami was, or why she was helping him, either. That brought him to his next observation.

"Sami… I don't even know who or what she's supposed to be," he whispered, looking up at the mirror, "I've never seen anyone with cat ears before. Or wings. Or a tail. What the hell is she supposed to be? Is it a costume?" Ryou severely doubted that. She seemed way too serious to be parading around in a costume. It had to be something else, "And what did she do to that guard, anyway? She mumbled something, and he just… died." He thought about it carefully. The guard stopped before falling, as though something had terrified him. But nothing had been there. Or had it? He hadn't seen anything… but that didn't mean that whatever Sami said hadn't conjured it. His skin paled when he came to magic as being the answer.

"Magic… magic…" he whispered, unable to believe it, "Magic… it can't be magic. Can it? I've never seen it before…" The only magic Ryou had ever experienced was with card tricks that his uncle had taught him once. But nothing else. Nothing unseen. Nothing… genuine. But what else was there to believe? Sami had killed a guard _without touching him_. She had a knife. Why wouldn't she just stab him if it wasn't magic? She even said she was the one that did it. But how she did was what bothered Ryou. She hadn't done a damn thing. Except to mumble just one word.

"…it has to be magic. She spoke just one word," he said, shivering as he watched his reflection, "But what did she say!? What did she say that could kill a man with one word? And why?" Now that he accepted that magic might've been the cause, it terrified him. He had read enough fantasy novels to know that magic was never something to be tampered with. But never once had he thought it might've been real. Never, in his life, did he even think he'd be involved with it. And there he was, stranded in a strange place filled with evil magic, about to be kidnapped by a person who _knew magic_. It seemed so unrealistic, but at the same time, it was what was happening.

"Magic… I don't understand. Why me?" he asked again, lying back to look up at the ceiling, "What do _I_ know about _magic_?" The answer, unfortunately, was nothing. He had known nothing about magic. At least, not until Sami had uttered that one word. That one, simple, unknown word. He wanted to know desperately what it was. If it was just a random word, she had to have been simply cursing. But he knew it was more than that. He took a deep breath.

"I have to ask her about it. I don't believe it, but I have to know what she did," he told himself gently, watching the ceiling, "I have to decide what to do. Magic… if this place is full of magic, I'll go insane from being here. But if Sami can kill me with one word… how can I know I'll be safe?" The answer was that he wouldn't be safe. As much as he respected Sami and the strength she exuded, he couldn't trust her. She nearly killed _him_ with a knife, for one innocent question. If he hadn't known she was non-human, he'd have thought she was insane. Which, with respect, she most probably was. It was all terribly confusing for him. Closing his eyes, he knew the one person who, while he couldn't solve _every_ problem Ryou had, would most likely listen and try to offer some form of advice. Gently, he fingered the ring. If anyone could help him make a decision that affected his life, it'd be Bakura.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding out some information regarding just where on earth he is, Ryou now must decide what to do. He can either join Sami and help her out, which might get him killed, or he can stay behind, which will definitely get him killed. So, what will he decide? And how can Bakura help him make a decision? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	3. Bakura's Advice

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'd love to own Ryou, because Sith needs a sidekick, but Takahashi won't hand him over. He says Ryou needs someone who actually knows who they are.

Ryou was lying on his bed, thinking through what had happened and just how he should go about it. He considered Sami's offer carefully. He wanted to escape, and he wanted to go home, but he couldn't trust her. At least, not yet. What she had done to the guard still terrified him, because he couldn't physically see what ailed the poor man. But, she had been honest about it. And as deplorable as her actions were, there was something to be said about her honesty. And as little as Ryou knew her, she was already showing him she was considering taking him. And that was something he _was_ grateful for, even if she tried to kill him already. Though the latter was what caused the distrust to begin with. And it all kept racing inside of his addled mind, over and over, in an endless cycle. Bakura, who had awakened at Ryou's touch, had appeared within the room a few moments later, arms crossed and brows raised in wonder. He hadn't known what had happened since Ryou passed out; he only knew that _something_ had happened, and he had heard slight thoughts going through Ryou's head. In all honesty, the choice seemed pathetically easy to the old spirit.

"Tough decision, eh?" he asked, and Ryou looked at him, "On the one hand, she did nearly try and stab you. But on the other, you know she'll probably get you out with relatively little harm. Got to say, Ryou, I don't like these sorts of conflictions." Ryou was taken aback, not expecting Bakura to barge in like that. But then again, Bakura _was_ his conscience, even if he didn't want to admit it. The old thief spoke the truth, too. Of anyone Ryou had met, Sami seemed like the most likely to get out of a situation like this. She also seemed the most likely to either get herself killed, or someone else, in the process, too. And that was a source of hesitancy for Ryou. He didn't want to die. But he did want to see how her plan would work.

"I want to follow her," he said quietly, shyly, "But how can I trust her? Bakura… what she did was _scary_. She killed without touching a thing. How can I trust that? What do I do?" Bakura chuckled a little, hearing the terror in Ryou's voice. It was frequent that Ryou panicked, but terror was rare in him. Most of his life had been pretty peaceful, with what Bakura had seen. Obviously, a woman like Sami scared the shit out of Ryou. Bakura couldn't help but be just a little bit amused. He considered Ryou's inquiries carefully. To him, again, the answer was easy: just follow her until the shit hit the fan. _Then_ think about running away. Especially if she was about to kill you.

"I'd say keep an eye on her," he replied simply, "I would, anyway. If you're that scared because of one spell, then it's best to be cautious." He turned and saw Ryou was glaring furiously at him. Obviously, he didn't like being called weak. That was too bad for him; in Bakura's eyes, he was. Bakura just sighed and said, "Look, Ryou. I know you think magic's all fun and butterflies, but this is serious. There are some spells that kill. And unfortunately, that woman just happens to know them." Ryou just nodded. Bakura confirmed that Sami did indeed have magic. If _he_ was telling Ryou to be cautious, she knew dangerous magic indeed. Possibly dangerous enough to kill Bakura. Though, that did have its uses… but not wanting to think of that, Ryou just smiled weakly, glancing down at his hands. He still didn't know how to deal with Sami. And that would be a key part of getting her to help him.

"Any advice for dealing with women like her?" he asked, and Bakura noted the odd tone in his voice. He grinned, nodding and sitting next to the boy, who glanced up at him intently. Bakura ruffled his hair and laughed. Of all the things he could've been advising Ryou about, traveling with a woman… and with a killer… was one he hadn't prepared for.

"For starters, don't do anything remotely stupid unless you're prepared to eat steel," Bakura joked, and in a much more serious tone, "Clearly, she's more experienced in this art than you are. Respect what she says, and if she says something will kill you, chances are it probably will. So, if you like to live, listen to her." That made sense to Ryou. Bakura hummed a bit, and must've felt that something else was on Ryou's mind, for he added, "Oh, and if you think it'll help, use a little charm on her. That usually works with women." Ryou's eyes widened, his face going crimson. He had never charmed a woman before, and quite frankly, wasn't so sure Sami would actually find him charming. And if she became upset, that would put him in an even worse situation.

"Are you crazy!?" Ryou blurted out, exasperation taking over his voice, "She's going to think I'm hitting on her! She'll kill me! She'll kill you, too! No!" Bakura laughed hysterically. He never saw Ryou so flustered in his life. He rustled the boy's hair again, and grinned. He could sense all of the worry and fear of girls that Ryou had kept inside, and it amused him all the while. He never once thought to help Ryou with that fear, and now he knew it might kick his ass later. Especially if he suddenly found Ryou would need the skill, and just didn't have it. He nodded, snorting softly.

"I'm not sure that's a bad thing, Ryou. She seems like a strong girl, anyway," Bakura stated with amusement, "If you ask me, I think something could happen if you just grew a damn backbone. Stop being such a nervous kitten with her. She probably thinks you're a wimp, and quite frankly, so do I." Ryou glared at him angrily, but his grin simply grew as he looked away, trying not to laugh at how uncomfortable Ryou was becoming. Ryou himself simply pushed Bakura away, again surprised that he held an actual form. He had never been able to do anything to Bakura before, and silently wondered what was making it possible now. But he was too angry to question.

"Shut up," he growled, getting off the bed and storming to the dresser. He considered taking the brush and throwing it at Bakura's head, but decided against it. In a physical match, Bakura would've crushed him to pieces. Finally, he sighed and said, "Not everything has to end with me being paired up, you know. You're even assuming she cares. I know I certainly don't." Bakura frowned. He hadn't meant to come off as an asshole, but he suddenly realized that almost anyone would've taken what he said much the same way Ryou had. He felt almost annoyed with himself. He really did want to help Ryou out, just a little. And, who knew? Maybe Sami _would_ be into something like that. But he didn't want to pry any more than he was. He simply shrugged it off.

"Well, whatever you decide, make sure she's actually a friend before you just skip town with her," Bakura said sternly, looking down, "Nothing is worse than a betrayal." Ryou agreed, as he put the brush down. He looked in the mirror, at his flushed face and nervous expression. Bakura wasn't looking at him, he saw through the mirror, but he knew the spirit felt bad for being so pushy. Likewise, he felt bad for getting so angry. Bakura really was just trying to help. But he couldn't see himself living with someone like Sami. Not because of anything she did, but because of how she was. She seemed pretty grim to begin with; if this was as dangerous as she had stated, she'd only get graver as time passed. Curiously, Ryou looked at Bakura again through the mirror.

"Bakura, how did you know who to trust?" he asked, smiling weakly at his reflection. Bakura looked up, intrigued with the question, but hesitated with the answer. He had never shared it, and honestly, he never felt a need. It had happened many, many years ago, in a different time.

"It's a hard thing to learn," Bakura started grimly, "At first, I didn't bring myself to learn it, and to this day, I'm sure I've learned a damn about it. But there was one woman… that I trusted." Ryou tilted his head. That was a story he'd never heard before. When Bakura didn't continue, he turned to face the old spirit.

"What happened to her?" he asked. Bakura's eyes narrowed gently, eyes watering. Whatever happened, it had been a great source of pain.

"No one truly knows. She disappeared from this world three thousand years ago," he stated, "It was… after I had sacrificed myself to resurrect Zork. There was a war, but… I'm almost certain… that she died. Somehow, somewhere. It's difficult to kill Espers, but once you do, they don't normally come back." Ryou blinked slowly, wondering if he made up hearing the last part. Espers! He had heard just vague mentions of magical creatures, but Espers were among the rarest.

"She was an Esper?" he asked, and Bakura nodded.

"Quite a powerful one, too," the old spirit replied, almost proudly, "Any war she participated in ended with her side winning. Except… for one. One war, she lost. And it cost both her and this world dearly."

"What happened?" Ryou asked, getting more and more interested. Bakura would've found his interest fascinating… if the memory hadn't stung so badly.

"I'm not entirely sure… but it nearly destroyed the world," Bakura replied, and snorted, "You thought Zork was bad? Imagine two insanely powerful Espers throwing forbidden spells at one another. The world nearly split in two. Ironic, when you think of it. That's what happened to the Espers when the war was finished. They split in two." Ryou could only guess the rest. The woman Bakura spoke of must've died in that war. But why had no one heard of it? It had never been mentioned in history before, and he was certain that if it nearly destroyed everything, it really should've been. He was also certain there was a reason Bakura was telling him this, but he didn't ask about either. Bakura was getting too depressed. Instead, he said the only thing he could.

"I'm sorry," Ryou whispered. Bakura smiled mockingly at the covers. Sorry… in his mind, that was what everyone else said, too. He had tired of that word.

"I was a fool and a terrible friend," the spirit growled, clutching the comforter angrily, "I should've looked for her! I should've done something to stop the war! But… like all the other cowards, I stayed and watched like… like some morbid sadist! I watched that war destroy one of the most powerful races we were blessed with!" Ryou rarely heard Bakura having regrets, but this was amazing. It was saddening to listen to, but it showed a side to Bakura that Ryou never thought existed. Obviously, he cared deeply for this friend of his.

"You couldn't do anything for her," Ryou reminded him, and when he growled again, Ryou added, "She probably knew this… Bakura… did you love this woman?" Bakura opened his mouth to yell, but then considered the question carefully. A sly smile spread across his face.

"…yes," he finally said, "I did. She was one of my greatest friends. I was a thief, which you know, but… as a favor for her, I employed myself as a spy. Not for that idiot we called a pharaoh, of course, but to help her. As a knight, some information was forbidden to her. That's where I came in to help… until we both died, of course." Ryou just snorted. They sounded like good friends. But… if she had _died_…

"What of her spirit?" Ryou asked, "Could you find her?" Bakura sighed. He had tried, when he finally was sealing into the ring. He tried to escape the bonds for just a bit, to look, but he never found his friend. He never even sensed her. He shook his head.

"I doubt I could," Bakura replied, "But, honestly, enough on me. You should go and find this woman, and tell her you're going with her. The sooner you both get a move on, the sooner we leave, and the sooner you'll know if her friendship is worth investing in." Ryou frowned. That sounded ruder than Bakura probably meant, but he understood the spirit's point. Bakura was just trying to be caution. Ryou walked to the door and slowly opened it, walking out. But, before he left, he poked his head back inside. If Bakura was this cautious, what did that mean for Sami?

"Bakura… you don't think Sami will double-cross me, do you?" he asked, "You seem like you're worried. She's a good person, right?" Bakura snorted as he tossed Ryou the ring. Whether or not she was a good person seemed rather irrelevant to him. All that mattered was that she didn't harm them. Either way, that didn't keep him from answering Ryou's worried question.

"It's hard to tell. She looks young, so it shouldn't be hard, but something's blocking me from reading her thoughts," the spirit replied, half amused, "If she truly doesn't know anything about herself, then there's no way for me to really judge her character. But I can sense she's loyal. Hell, she didn't _kill_ you with her spell, did she?" Ryou nodded distantly. That was true enough. She had the power to kill him, and she hadn't yet.

"No… she didn't," Ryou admitted, and smiled, "All right. I'd better go and find her before I waste more of our time. Thanks, Bakura." He started out the door again, but this time, Bakura called him back. Ryou popped his head back in, looking at the old thief with a confused brow raised. Bakura looked at him critically, and then smiled with genuine feeling. Whatever Bakura was feeling, something was making him proud. He just gave a mock salute.

"Good luck, kiddo," he said, "Women are pretty complex, but whoever your new friend is, she's about a hundred times more so. I'll be in the ring if you need me, but… don't drag me out unless you're royally screwed with looking like an idiot to her." Ryou nodded, and though he growled, he headed out of the door, noticing that Bakura looked more solid then he had when they first started speaking. He ignored it, though, as the darkness of the castle once again took his attention. His room seemed so light, so normal compared to the rest of this eerie place; it was disorienting. He also doubted three hours passed, as time felt so slow here, but he made his decision, and he wanted to relay it with Sami as soon as he could. He knew Bakura was watching, and though he didn't know if the spirit would be paying attention, he was determined that they both hear what she was planning; it inevitably concerned Bakura because it involved Ryou. He walked down the corridor, its thin walls making him feel like he was being squeezed inside, trying his best not to let the darkness get to him as he breathed in a gray mist that began to swirl around. It truly was unnerving, and he could see why Sami wanted to leave, and why she was rushing her plans to do so. It felt as though the air itself was trying to suck out his life force. He closed one eye as he continued onward, glancing around for any sign that she was there. She wasn't. Ryou guessed either she had gone off to another floor, or her room was farther away.

"Sami?" he called gently, after turning a corner, but she didn't respond. He called again, noticing that his voice began to get muffled. The mist was becoming unbearable, as though it were some sort of noxious gas waiting to knock him out. His head felt dizzy again. Whatever the mist was, it was affecting him badly, very quickly.

"What is this?" he coughed, slowing down. The mist was thickening at an alarming rate, and it seemed like every muscle was threatening to collapse as he tried to move onwards. His mind raced, acting as though he was being deprived of oxygen. And, if this place was fortified with magic, that might be the case. He had to find Sami quickly. If she was a magician, she'd know how to stop this mist.

"Sami…" he wheezed, "Bakura… someone…" He opened his mouth and breathed in deeply, but he strained and struggled. Finally, he fell to the floor, straining to get up. Whatever this mist was, it was taking him down. He had to push forward. He couldn't be killed off, not by this. Then, he remembered that Sami herself might be breathing this in. He shook his head; could she be hurt from this? He didn't want to know if she was, but that fear made him continue on despite his growing fatigue. He stepped forward, nearly tripping again, but he maintained his balance. Another step, and it grew difficult to move once more. A third step, and he fell again. He picked himself up, and for a moment, thought he heard a curse somewhere in the distance. He couldn't place the voice, but he used it to pull him through. Someone was close; someone could help him, or so he prayed as he continued on. But, it just felt so impossible to him. Finally, he forced himself to lean against the wall, panting.

"Please… let her be… nearby," he whispered, as he walked along, clinging to the wall as he went. Yet there was no sign of his friend anywhere. He strained to keep going, feeling unusually weak as the mist continued to drain his strength. His breathing slowed, as he calmed his nerves, but it didn't help him. His life was draining again. He tried to keep going, but it proved worthless. He fell again, slamming so hard that he nearly screamed. His energy went too low. He couldn't move again. His chest felt constricted. And, his vision was beginning to blur. Everything looked like a mass of gray, and then, that gray faded as it gave way to black. Ryou closed his eyes, as he fell into unconsciousness once more. He vaguely heard another curse before passing completely.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, Ryou made the decision to join Sami, whatever she seems to be doing. But just as he goes to find her, the castle plays another trick, one that nearly kills him. Can Sami come to help him this time? Can Bakura? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	4. Bakura's first encounter with MAGIC

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Kazuki Takahashi does, and he doesn't want to give anyone the deeds to it, either.

The dust had settled, and the mist had thinned. It had all been a rush, from what he'd seen inside the Millennium Ring. He had told Ryou he'd be there, but he never thought he'd be called so soon after Ryou left their room. He hadn't known what had truly caused Ryou's collapse to begin with; all he had seen was gray and then black before the ring had activated, flashing with such a panic that Bakura had no choice but to take over. And, when he did, he was at a loss as to what happened. All he knew was that he was face-down on the cold ground. And he didn't like that at all.

"What happened?" came the old spirit's gravelly voice as he stood up, looking around. He was still disoriented, and part of him wanted to find himself in Ryou's room, or within the Millennium Ring. But he was in neither. He was still in that hallway, still confused, and still having no idea what he should do now. Thankfully, the mist from before was gone, but since he didn't _know_ what had happened, he simply wondered what made the boy faint at all. Then, he remembered what he should've been doing. He should've been looking for Sami. Or, in his mind, the insane excuse of a woman that nearly killed Ryou for no reason. And it just made him all the more sour about it, too.

"Oh great," he growled, stalking through the halls, "I have to look for someone who's even more insane than I am. Goody, goody gumdrops." It wasn't that he hated Sami personally; he hated anyone who was rightfully more dangerous than he was, and judging from what Ryou said and thought, Sami was by far the most dangerous thing they'd ever come across. Bakura didn't want to make her mad, especially if she had the ability to kill in one blow. And while Bakura himself didn't back down from a fight, he wasn't stupid, either. If what he gathered of her was right, she was probably as powerful as the Espers he had spoken about. And if she _was_ an Esper, he was screwed. As if to heed his unhappy thoughts, Sami appeared shortly, running down the tunnel, knife in her gloved right hand, as her ungloved left held a backpack. She skidded to a stop upon seeing Bakura, but as she did, her expression changed. She had caught something.

"…" she studied Bakura carefully, cautiously, but couldn't quite see what was actually wrong as she called, "…Ryou?" Not to her surprise, Bakura shook his head. She didn't exactly like that, but she had come to expect weird things in the castle.

"I'm not Ryou," he stated, but he knew Sami had already gotten that one clearly. Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses, and she gave a short nod. Either she was impatient with him, or she was scared of him. Either one gave him an advantage if she became hostile.

"I noticed," she said grimly, "I know not what you are, but I insist you tell me… what is it you want, and where is Ryou?" Bakura's lips thinned. Now he was beginning to see Ryou's hesitancy with his advice. Sami _looked_ young, but she certainly didn't sound it. No, it wasn't a smart idea to try hitting on her. Bakura was thankful Ryou was unconscious; if he had flirted, Sami might've actually killed him that time. Deciding he had to calm her down a little bit, he held up his hands in surrender.

"Relax. I'm not here to harm you," Bakura said, "I am the spirit of the ring, the one you were going to pawn off. I've come on Ryou's behalf, because he passed out, so you're just going to have to continue dealing with _me_." He had expected some level of fear from Sami, but he was disappointed. She didn't seem the least bit daunted by him. But she did seem particularly bewildered. Obviously, even if she sensed the difference, she couldn't quite grasp it. Technically, Bakura did look very much like Ryou. But, for now, she simply ignored it. There were other problems that needed addressing.

"…agreed," she finally said at length, "We have a problem now." Bakura just grinned weakly. He expected a problem, especially since she seemed so frenzied when he found her.

"I'll tell him when we…"

"No, now," she cut him off with such a tone, that he could only stare in disbelief. Whoever, _whatever_ this woman was, she wasn't to be messed with. He hadn't expected such opposition, but then again, he hadn't expected Ryou to get so angry with him, either. And both had happened. He merely sighed, shaking his head.

"He can't," Bakura finally said, "His mind is too drained for me to risk switching out with him. I can't allow him to try it." Sami's lips thinned. She hated that answer; she didn't want to deal with Bakura right then. But, the tone which he used to describe Ryou's state… it worried her. She put her bag down, and frowned, leaning against the wall. For a moment, she looked… almost scared.

"What happened?" she asked, "He should've been fine once I cleared the mist."

"I don't know. He collapsed after walking out. That's all I know," Bakura answered truthfully, "It might be the atmosphere, or it could be the excitement. But… that mist… what was it?" Sami sighed, looking downward. This was one thing she had wanted to avoid, and she knew that she obviously misjudged the magic they'd be facing. And now, it cost Ryou. She was furious with herself for it. She looked back at Bakura, her face returning to its previously grim expression.

"…magic," she replied at length, not quite sure how Bakura would take it, "Powerful magic, which I almost could not stop. It's a power that originates from a void called Oblivion, and it literally sucks the life force out of the area around it." Bakura nodded. He'd heard vague mentions of a void called Oblivion, but only just, and in recent years. Sami seemed to know quite a bit about it, and that made him rather curious. He grinned just a bit too much for her comfort.

"And what, my dear, is Oblivion?" he asked her casually. Sami seemed suspicious of him, mainly for the fact that he'd even ask. Or even believe her, for that matter. But, she shrugged. If he knew Ryou, he'd tell him eventually. And if not, it wouldn't be hard for her to kill him.

"I'm sure you've heard of it recently. It's the void that connects many worlds in one frame," she replied, "But it's unstable. Tap into it and you could destroy worlds. That's why I need to escape from here. Someone's tapped into it, and I need to find out who, and what for, and why here." Bakura didn't like her curiosity with a thing like that, but there wasn't much he could do. No wonder she seemed particularly worried for Ryou's sake. Bringing him along really could mean the end of his life. Interested, Bakura tried for more information.

"What's this plan of yours?" he asked her, and when she raised a skeptical brow, he said, "I'll tell Ryou when he's awakened, I promise." That seemed to be enough for Sami. She nodded, but her face didn't soften in the least.

"I know… just barely, who this woman controlling this magic is," Sami explained calmly, "My plan is to escape, and then confront her on _my_ terms. There's a small town filled with non-humans to the northwest. I plan to make my way there." Bakura didn't see what this had to do with Ryou. Was she planning on taking him hostage?

"So then why do you need both mine and Ryou's help?" he asked her, a bit more furiously than he wanted, "You want my power, too?" Sami almost laughed. She had more than enough power; she wanted no part of his.

"Of course not," she replied, and something about her tone irritated him, "I don't want your help, but I certainly don't want you two _here_, either. So, out of respect, I will ask for it." Bakura hummed. He wasn't entirely sure how much he could take her respect to heart, but he was surprised she was showing it. That was rare. Even more so was the fact that she seemed to understand what was going on between him and Ryou. Immediately, he nodded his head. Helping her seemed the best idea.

"I'll help you. But how do you know?" he asked, "How did you know about _me_?" Sami smiled, a gentle smile that told him she rarely used it, if at all. It lightened her face. She took off her glasses and cleaned them, one ear twitching.

"Non-humans can sense power shifts in any given world. That's what allows us to travel at will, if we wish," she told him, "I am a Chesier. My magic is potent, so it's not hard to sense the shifts happening." Bakura nodded. That made a bit more sense. That was good, then. At least, she wasn't an Esper. Not that it was possible as of now, but it was good to know she wasn't _that_ powerful. She led them both down a spiral, stone staircase that wound downwards a bit as they spoke, the air becoming just a bit cooler than before. Neither noticed as their topic went from Chesier magic, to the magic she was fighting, which was from Mystics. Then, that led to her plans of escape, and to her earlier plan of bombing the room, which Bakura had wanted to know the result of. He had wondered how effective it'd be.

"So, if you can use all of this powerful magic, why did you bomb the room?" he asked her, as they descended the stairs, "And did it even work?" The fact that her smile had faded, told him it ended in failure. She let out a deep sigh, her frown weak and saddened for a moment.

"I used a bomb, because I wasn't quite sure that my magic would work. Chesier and Mystic magic oppose each other strongly. It may have been fizzled out by the time I cast it," she replied, "And no, the bombing didn't work. The room is highly durable. Someone knew what I was planning." Bakura didn't like the fury seeping into her voice. He also didn't like that she was failing on her plans so far. But he dropped it. There was no need to argue, and besides, something was beginning to bother Sami. She had stopped momentarily, eyes hardening and mouth thinning as she listened to a sound Bakura couldn't yet hear. He arched a brow and stepped closer to her.

"What's going on?" he whispered. She urged him to keep quiet as she struggled to listen. The sound had passed quickly, but it returned again. It was a deep, loud thud on the ground. Sami's ears lowered, her wings tensing. She didn't like the look of things, now that she recognized the sound. She glanced just enough to get Bakura in her line of vision; the rest, she had to keep in her sight or she'd never see what it was that bothered her.

"Guards," she whispered finally, her eyes narrowed angrily, "What is this? It's not time for them to be patrolling here." Bakura hated that even more than her plan failing beforehand. Someone was definitely moving to keep her from succeeding, and if he didn't do something, they both would be caught. And most definitely killed for it, too. He turned from the hallway, to her as she strained to listen closely to see just how far they were from the guards. There was little distance.

"Does it matter? We need to run," he reminded her, but she didn't make a move to run away. He saw her hand move, and watched as it went to the pommel of a sword. His mouth dropped. A sword! This woman had a sword, and now she was going to use it? He was beginning to question her sanity.

"Run if you wish, but I'm going to fight them," she replied, not caring for the stare she was given, "Damn it, running will do no good, anyway!" Bakura frowned as he saw she was right. Guards had already turned the corner and saw them, and they were in the process of aiming guns at both of them. Bakura twitched. Ryou would be pissed if Sami died. He grabbed her wrists and began to run, not caring that she was struggling to get away.

"Damn it, we need to go!" Bakura yelled to her, but they didn't get far before the other end was blocked off as well. Bakura snarled angrily, and he felt Sami pull away, heard her mumbling something under her breath. He had to stop her; if she used magic, she'd kill them both. He took his ring and knocked her right over the head, causing her to collapse. He didn't want to harm her, but magic wouldn't do a damn if they died from it. He turned back to the advancing guards, and aimed the ring. With a final 'forgive me, woman,' Bakura unleashed the spell he prepared, and a bright flash of light dazzled all in the hallway, until black enveloped them again.

Several hours later, she awoke in Ryou's bed. She hadn't remembered how or why she was there, and her head felt amazingly dizzy. She had a difficult time just sitting up, and when she opened her eyes, she cursed. She couldn't see anything except a mass of blurry colors, and realized someone had taken her glasses. She felt around for them, but couldn't find them. Ryou, who had been watching her, leaned over and slipped them onto her face. The colors straightened immediately, and she looked up at him, wondering just what the hell couldn't happened to her. Or to him, for that matter.

"Are you all right?" he asked, and when Sami nodded, said, "I'm sorry. I must've…"

"That bastard of a spirit did this," she growled, noticing Bakura wasn't with her anymore, and when she saw Ryou's eyes widened, she said, "I know of him. Tell me whatever he said to you. _Now_." She sounded very serious. Ryou didn't hesitate to tell her about the guards, and about how Bakura had knocked her out, silencing her spell from casting. That part, she was furious with, and it was clear. Knowing she might do something rash, he quickly explained why Bakura had done so.

"He didn't know what to do!" Ryou cried, "Sami, please don't be angry. If you'd used your magic, you'd have killed yourself. He wanted to help you." Sami's eyes narrowed. She didn't know just how much of that she could've believed, but Ryou seemed convinced of it. She simply nodded, and smiled slyly at him.

"…all right," she said, and then looked around. Ryou noticed something was wrong, and immediately, Sami asked, "Where is my backpack!?" Ryou bit his lip. Bakura hadn't come back with one when he brought her there. He guessed it was still wherever they had been attacked. He smiled weakly at her.

"I'll go find it," he offered. She nodded, but seemed pretty preoccupied with the fact that it was gone. Ryou wondered if she had even heard him, but decided not to give her a chance to act by herself. She needed to rest, especially if Bakura's magic had hit her in any way. He walked out of the room, but Sami called him back in. He poked his head in, and saw she was frowning at him.

"Don't get caught," she said sternly, and he nodded, leaving for good. He walked down the hall, wondering just what he should be expecting once he reached the right floor. Knowing Bakura, the backpack might very well be gone for good. But how could he tell that to Sami? He decided he couldn't; he'd have to find her bag somehow. Knowing only Bakura could point him in the right direction, he touched the ring. Immediately, he felt Bakura's presence.

"What?" came Bakura's voice. He was sourly annoyed. Most probably because of what had happened. Ryou realized he might've been hurt, as well.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concern leaking through him, "You were pretty upset when you came back with Sami." Bakura didn't respond at first, but then he nodded. He _had_ been upset when he brought the woman back, but only because of what he had to do to keep them alive. It had cost a lot of power. Now seemed a good time to warn Ryou about what Sami had told him about magic.

'_I'm fine. That woman is trouble, though,_' he said sternly, more serious than Ryou remembered him ever being, '_She's going to personally see that the person in charge is killed. And, she can sense other things as well. She knew I wasn't you when I found her_.' If he intended to stress how serious this was, he failed to do so. Ryou snorted in amusement at the thought that Bakura actually thought he was a good sneak, and Bakura just gave him a furious glare, asking, '_What is so funny!?_' Ryou's chest heaved as he calmed himself.

"You honestly thought you could be me?" Ryou asked, "Bakura, we're different. Even Yugi and the others could sense it." Bakura's glare didn't lighten. He hated having to listen to how incompetent he was sometimes, but he had to take it. Right now, telling Ryou what he knew was important.

'_She's a damn Chesier, all right!?_' Bakura blurted out, '_Ryou, she's not human, and she's not safe! She's insane, okay? She's going on about how we're in some sort of place called Oblivion and how magic's threatening our world, and shit we would never actually believe! She's criminally insane!_' Ryou felt it was ironic that Bakura, who had tried to take over the world with Zork, was calling Sami insane for what she said about magic. For all they knew, it might very well have been right. After all, it'd explain the vampires that came after them… or what Ryou assumed were vampires. He waved the problem away.

"I don't think she's entirely crazy," he replied, as they walked down the hall, turning the corner, "Weird things have been happening in the world. She might actually know something about them." Bakura's eyes hardened. To him, Sith was crazy and that was it. He wished Ryou agreed with him, just for once, but life was never that easy. Ryou found the stone staircase, and Bakura directed him downwards, toward the floor where they'd been attacked. It was cool, and very dark. Most probably an after-effect from Bakura's magic.

'_So you're still going with her?_' Bakura asked. Ryou nodded, looking around for any sign of the bag. There wasn't one.

"Of course. She's going to help me escape. I might as well see what I can do to return the favor," he replied, "Besides, she's a non-human. I've never traveled abroad with one, and this would be a terrible opportunity to waste." Bakura didn't appreciate that Ryou was choosing to see this as a joy ride rather than as something to be feared and avoided, but he didn't comment on it. If Ryou wanted to think it was a fun thing to do, all the more power to him. They walked down one part of the hall, searching for any sign that the bag was still there. Dead guards littered the floor, but again, no bag. Ryou sighed in frustration.

"Where is her bag?" he finally asked, hoping Bakura would just make this easy. But, unfortunately, that wasn't the case. He felt Bakura shrug, raising an eyebrow.

'_I have no idea! I didn't keep track of it as I hauled her ass up the stairs,_' he replied. Ryou just grumbled. That meant he'd have to do some searching, which he hated. But, as long as he found her bag, that was all that mattered right then. He could bitch to Bakura about it later. If he found the bag.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After meeting Sami for himself, Bakura has concluded two things: Sami's not human, and he's pretty sure she's completely and utterly insane. But does Ryou feel the same way? And will they find the bag in question before they're caught again? How is Sami faring above, left to think her plan over? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	5. A nightmare of unusual Sorts

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or anyone else referenced here. Kazuki Takahashi owns Yu-Gi-Oh, and I don't remember who owns anyone else.

It'd been some time since Ryou left to find her bag, and Sami laid in his bed, wondering where he could've been. Well, she would've been wondering, if she hadn't been asleep. But, whatever she was dreaming about, it was a nightmare of some sort. Her ears twitched in irritation, and her skin had paled, but she couldn't wake herself up. She was just too dog tired. Besides, she had had this nightmare many times before, but normally, with no reference as to why. It was just a dream.

The nightmare was always the same thing, even if it was in a different setting. She now stood in a cold laboratory, clothed in a blue and gold overcoat over a dark pink shirt, with mythril shin-guards over her black pants. A sword was in her hand, its blade slick with black blood. All around her, chaos ensued. But she wasn't alone. No, many people were with her, some that she knew, others that she didn't, and many that she couldn't name, but felt she should've known. They all stood near her, behind her, all looking in the same direction, where a lone door stood. Behind them, many tubes of glass had been shattered, water running all along the floor, soaking their shoes. Further behind, a group of Mystics, a furious, hateful group of the damned creatures, were pursuing them. So, why were they not running?

"They're coming," said a blonde man with a scar covering half of his face, gun in hand. The red haze that enveloped the room gave his leather coat a glossy, red shine as he added, "We can't keep them out. Sith, what on earth do we do?" Sami blinked. As in so many dreams before this, whoever this man was, he had called her that. And, she could not know why. But, he was asking her for help. She looked to the wall he was looking to. She could sense the many beings behind there, waiting to come and kill them.

"We must fight," she replied. But another man, a boy really, with spiky black hair held with a baseball cap just shook his head, staring up at her with fear.

"Fight!? Are you crazy!?" he asked her, and she winced at how young he sounded, "We can't fight them, Sith! There are too many! Not even my pokemon could take them on! We have to run!"

"Aye, we canno' run, lad," came the voice of a burly sailor from behind them. He marched up, his red hair bobbing underneath a captain's cap as his blue coat tried its best to cover a large, bare chest, "They be taking us by the hundreds if we run away now, me boy." Sami's lips thinned. She turned back to the single door. That was their way out. But it couldn't possibly fit them all. Some of them would have to stay. And that would be a bitch to discuss. No one wanted to stay to fight off the angry horde. The blonde man tapped her arm. There was something about him she recognized, but she couldn't place who he was. That saddened her. She wanted to know who half these people were.

"Sith, you have to make a decision," he told her grimly, "That wall's going to break, babe. When it does, we all die." Sami didn't like that one bit. But she had known this for some time. It was the same as in the volcano, the forest, the bunker, and the castle of gold. They would come to destroy them and kill them all for things she couldn't know of. She had to do something. But what it was, she just didn't know.

"Then some of us need to stay and make sure the rest of us escape," she told them all, the army she assembled all closing in to listen, "We've no time! We must decide what to…" She didn't finish. They all heard the wall crack, threatening to blow apart and reveal the many Mystics who came to claim them forever. The blonde man aimed his gun and shot three times at the wall. It did nothing but make a thunderous roar as the bullet screamed through the air. Many people ducked, but some didn't even flinch. Finally, one man stood, turned to Sami, and grinned. She didn't know who this man was, but something again seemed familiar, like the blonde man she was with.

"It's time now, lady Sith," he said, his red cloak swirling as he brandished two daggers in his hands. He grinned, as though this was what he lived to do. To fight and to die. Sami couldn't help but think he was a complete idiot. Not even she was grinning, and this was her dream. She wanted to stop him, to tell them she would decide, but he was powerful enough. Many people shot up to join him. One person, with incredibly spiky blonde hair and a sword that was impossibly large, stood beside the white-haired man who just spoke.

"I'm going to fight them off and kick their ass," he stated grimly, gripping his sword, "They destroyed my world. They even controlled the man who killed my girlfriend. I won't let a single of those bastards live for it!" The white-haired man patted him on the back. Sami looked, and saw a young girl approach, who was a few years younger than she. She was dressed in a modified version of a Japanese school outfit, with a tiara on her head, and long red boots with a crescent moon on them. In her hand was a scepter with the same crescent shape at the top.

"In the name of the moon, I too shall fight them!" she exclaimed, "They've done too much damage to Oblivion to be forgiven!" Sami couldn't believe the team that was forming. Another woman, farther behind, came walking up. She was dressed in a long maid's gown, her brown hair fashioned in a tight bun. Sami couldn't see just what she hoped to accomplish, but she seemed to want to fight as well.

"I will also join you three," she replied, "My world, too, has been destroyed from them." It was almost ironic to see her there. She was barely a strip of a woman, very thin and very proper, but here she was, teaming up with a swordsman, a man from the middle east, a sailor scout, a sailor, and a gunman. It all just looked too comical. Obviously, the blonde man, the gunman, agreed with Sami, for he nearly laughed at the young woman.

"You!?" he asked, chuckling, "You are a maid. You think you're going to actually _fight_ a group of _insane Mystics!?_ That's just hysterical! Matt, you have to hear this!" Sami turned to see a young, red-haired man jogging up to the group, carrying what looked like a really oversized bomb. He could barely carry it in his arms. The maid gave the blonde man an indignant glare, dusting off the end of her white apron.

"Maid I am, but I do know how to defend myself," she replied sternly, "Besides, I have my beloved husband, William…" She didn't get a chance to finish before the blonde man tugged Sami's arm and pointed to the back wall. From there, she couldn't see what was wrong, but something was bothering him.

"They're coming," he said again, his voice growing grim and hard, "Damn it, Matt, we're going to need a bigger bomb." Sami just blinked. She didn't think a bomb would've really helped them at that point; the horde behind them was just so big. But anything would do to hold them off. The man in the red cloak turned to the wall, and gave that confident grin again. Damned idiot.

"Let them come, then," he said proudly, his chest puffing out slightly, "We're ready." Sami wanted to argue that they most certainly weren't ready, but more and more people seemed to be coming to join the small resistance that was forming. A tall man with a powdered wig, in a red tailcoat, marched over as he tapped his cane on the floor.

"I daresay we _are_ ready for the good fight!" he declared, his British accent thick, his voice a bit too high to be natural, "Shall we commence the battle, old chums?" Sami turned from him back to the cloaked man who seemed to be running the show. He let down his hood to reveal a mess of white hair, along with his triumphant grin. He nodded.

"We shall," he replied, and just as they all turned, the wall crumbled to pieces. Monsters, many horrible monsters made of the very void of Oblivion stood there, their Mystic masters beside them. Even from such a distance, Sami smelled the fetid air of Oblivion among them. All it took was one piercing roar for chaos to break loose among the ranks gathered around her. People screamed now, realizing the monsters they would be fighting. They pushed, they swarmed, they scattered as they made their way to the door. Sami was nearly devoured by the surge, but the blonde man grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to safety, aiming a shot into one of the monsters' mouths. Black blood splashed in an arc across the large room.

"What the hell is going on!?" Sami tried to call, but no one could hear her, save for the man who rescued her. In the faint light, his one good blue eye shown brightly, as though lit up by the need to fight these terrible beasts. Again, the feeling of recognition coursed through her.

"Relax," he told her gently, his grip tightening as he shot another fatal blow to another monster, who crashed into the ground, "We're all going straight to hell, Sith. Just relax and enjoy the ride." Sami blinked. She had no idea what he was even talking about, but she couldn't leave him. People pushed and screamed all around them as the Mystics and their monsters advanced. The man with the large sword leapt up to slice one in half, and the sailor scout shot a blast of energy from her scepter, but it did little to deter the ranks. Another roar, and this time, Sami saw a few people who pushed past her. She saw her adopted mother, who lovingly raised her from when she was a child.

"Mother!?" she called. The woman looked up weakly, and smiled before urging her two daughters along, the youngest of whom waved silently. She was thankful; her family would be all right. Or, at least, her mother would be. She didn't care much for her sisters. She struggled, wanting to help them, but the blonde man wouldn't let go. He had seen the woman as well.

"Sith, no. They'll be safe," he told her, "You need to help us."

"Let me go!" she demanded, "I must help them!" But the man shook his head again. She glared up at him, and instantly wished she hadn't. He looked depressed as he held onto her, his good eye watering just a little. Whatever was going on, it was painful for him to do this.

"Sith, we need you _here_," he said sternly, "Please don't leave." Sami's ears lowered. She recognized that voice, that very tone. But damn it, she couldn't place it! She _knew_ him. She had been _friends_ with him. So why had she forgotten him!? Behind them, an explosion was set off, and the red-haired man named Matt cursed as he rushed away, throwing another bomb at the marching army. But Sami didn't look to see. She wanted to know desperately who this man was.

"Please… tell me…" she began weakly, "Tell me who you are!" Another man screamed before them, and Sami recognized that voice, too. It was Ryou's. But why was _he_ in her nightmare? She turned, as did the blonde man. Ryou stepped back, face slightly bloodied as he wielded a knife. He smiled when he saw Sami.

"I want to help you, too," he said, before disappearing again to fight another monster. The blonde man grunted in disapproval, and Sami once again turned to him. But he wasn't looking at her. He was glaring at Ryou, for a reason Sami didn't know. She grabbed a lock of his hair.

"Tell me who you are!" she demanded again. He looked at her, and for a moment, she was sure he would start tearing up, but he didn't. He just smiled again. It was such a weak smile, and it showed that he rarely smiled at all. He patted one of her wings and let go of her.

"Come on, Sith. You're smarter than that," he said, and gave her the thumbs up, "You'll stop them soon, babe." Sami's eyes widened. She had recognized that voice, and now she knew who he was. He was a man she had fallen in love with so long ago, it just didn't seem possible. For she had never met him before, but she knew him so well. He smiled when he saw she caught it, and stepped back, disappearing into the turmoil. She gasped, and held out a hand.

"Stop!" she called, eyes watering, "Please! Stop! Wait!" But the man was gone. She screamed as she watched him get crushed by one of the monsters, and she finally woke up, screaming. She screamed so loudly, so terrified, that she shattered the window within the room. It was only then that she stopped and realized she wasn't dreaming any longer. No, that man wasn't there anymore. She breathed heavily, shivering as she did so. She looked around; she was still in Ryou's room. And Ryou himself was backed against the wall, watching her with terrified eyes. He had heard her screaming. And it had definitely terrified him.

"A-are you all right?" he asked, more than a hint of terror to his voice, "Sami… you were screaming. What happened?" Sami took a minute to get her head straight. That dream had happened so many times, but never had that man ever died. No, he had stayed with her, had always turned to her with a smile and asked 'What about you, Sith?' And it had always calmed her down to hear it. Never had she woken up in such a state before. And, she wasn't entirely sure Ryou would believe what actually happened.

"…" Sami told Ryou of her dream regardless. He was kind enough to ask, and after what happened, she was respectful enough to tell him. He listened with wide eyes as she spoke of the people she saw, from the burly sailor to the blonde man she had only just recognized. She told him of the Mystics, of everything she repeated to Bakura, and of what she knew, and how she felt it corresponded to her dream. When she finished, she said, "We have to get out of here quickly. But, after that, if you wish, I'll take you straight to Domino City." Ryou tilted his head. That was a kind gesture, but part of him wanted to know where she'd be going afterwards.

"I'd appreciate that very much," he replied, and then frowned as he asked, "But what about you?" Sami hummed gently, looking over and out the window. Dawn was just beginning. She figured she had been asleep for quite some time.

"Me?" she repeated, and chuckled softly, "Most probably, I'll make my way to Duran following this. I'm meeting up with another Chesier, much like myself. From then on, I'm going to see what I can do about the Mystic here. Why? Did you wish to come?" Ryou laughed. That had occurred to him, just once. He wondered just how risky it was to go. Judging by the fact that Sami was skilled with a knife, and she had no qualms killing, despite her young appearance, it'd be suicide if he went unarmed. He shrugged.

"I don't see why not," he said, and Sami just grinned, "Anyway, I found your bag. It was under a pile of bricks somewhere." Sami just snorted. She hadn't actually expected to see the bag ever again, but she was glad he managed to find it. He handed it to her, and she placed it on the bed, working the strings to untying it.

"Now we can get you some damned weapons," she mumbled, twitching as she tried the knot, "So, without me there to drag you along, did you find any other way of getting the hell away from here?" Ryou blinked. He hadn't gone looking, figuring she already had a few plans up her sleeves. The silence that ensued might as well have been filled with Ryou going 'Uh…' the whole time. Sami guessed he hadn't, and said, "No worries. Just wondering if there was a way to leave before _she_ woke up." Ryou bit his lip. He didn't like the sound of what might happen if they didn't leave soon. Now seemed like a decent time to know what he was up against.

"Sami, what _is_ a Mystic?" he asked her, "How can we beat them, and are there more than her?" Sami ripped open the bag, but continued to look up at Ryou as she did so. It was obvious she didn't want to answer, but she gave a short nod anyway. Her eyes hardened as she did so. Not a good sign, Ryou was sure.

"I can guarantee there are more," she replied grimly, "How many, I don't know as of now, but there are at least four of them who're in charge. As to beating them… I'm not quite sure of that, either. There are magical weapons that should be able to destroy them, but where they could be hidden is something I can't say yet." That was about as cryptic as cryptic could be. It didn't even answer any of his questions.

"Can't you be a bit more specific?" Ryou knew that might cost him an eye, literally, but he was getting tired of this. He wanted to trust her, but how was he to make sense of an answer like that? She had turned the bag slightly, but the angle still kept the contents from spilling. Now she looked back up at him, a flat look sketching across her face.

"No," she said blandly, "Now stop questioning me or I'm leaving you here." Ryou's eye twitched. He hated the thought of being left here, but he wanted to know what he had to expect. If there was going to be some sort of fight, he had to know! Why couldn't she just understand that!?

"Why can't you just tell me!?" he… questioned. This time, Sami threw her knife yet again, and it slammed into the wall. Faster than he'd expect from someone her size, she was out of the bed and pinning him against the wall angrily. He smelled the scent of roses and juniper as she moved, but the sheer outrage on her face negated any tranquility the scent could've given him.

"Because you are a stupid child and if you don't _shut that insolent mouth of yours,_ I will silence you forever!" she hissed. Ryou just nodded, and she let go of him. Her rage faded relatively quickly as she leapt onto the bed and dumped the contents of the bag out. Ryou simply watched. He was in no mood to argue, especially if it'd get him killed. He just hoped whatever she found would quell her rage at that point.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After having a nightmare where someone she once cared for died a brutal death, Sami now sees that getting Ryou out is the most important task at hand. With Ryou bringing her bag back, what can she find that will help them? And what will her new plan entail? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	6. Escape: Enter Malik

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, but he only wishes his characters were as awesome as Sith.

Carefully, Sami had looked through the remainder of whatever was inside of her bag; whatever had been in there before had probably been destroyed, if Ryou could judge based on her expression. It was a cross of disbelief and absolute frustration. He peeked into the bag and saw a broken pistol, three broken glass bottles, a shattered vial, purple powder, burnt scraps of what had been bandages, scraps of ammunition, and lumps of cold silver. Nothing that would've been worth anything, except for possibly the powder. But Sami looked absolutely furious again. She crossed her arms, leering down at them as though she were trying to set them on fire with but a look. And, considering her power, Ryou felt that might've actually been the case.

"…wonderful," she growled, shoving the bag away, "We _might_ be able to blind them with the dust." Ryou looked at her cautiously. Then he looked back at the bag. It didn't look entirely hopeless; he was sure she could've salvaged something if she had more materials to work with.

"Can you make _anything?_" he asked her. She looked up at him flatly again, as though he were the biggest idiot in the world for asking her that.

"You're asking a lot of questions when I told you to shut your mouth," she stated flatly, uncrossing her arms as she held the broken pistol, "At the very least, I want to repair this." Ryou tilted his head. He couldn't use a gun, and she did still have a knife on her, as well as a sword. Why would she need a gun?

"Is it for me?" he asked, and realized that was a bad thing to ask. She glared and shook her head. Then she looked down at the pistol. She couldn't remember where she had gotten it, but she had had it for as long as she could remember. No, she wouldn't give that to anyone else.

"No. My mother gave this to me. She said some man had dropped it on her doorstep one day, with a note saying it was mine," she replied, putting it down, "It's for my use only." That made little sense to Ryou. But he didn't ask about it any further. It wasn't actually his business. But that did make him wonder what he'd do for weapons and supplies; they had none right then.

"Then what do I use?" he asked her. She hummed gently, tapping her chin. That was going to be a hard thing to think of, because so little weaponry were actually available to them. Finally, though, she snapped her fingers.

"There should be a metallic rod keeping the curtains hanging in the next room. Go and get them," she ordered. Ryou nodded, and left the room to do so. He came back ten minutes later with a crude iron rod, nearing four feet in diameter. Sami took it, whacked it against the wall twice, each time causing a hole to appear, and then grinned. She took a particularly large shard of glass, and using a weak fire spell, molded it into some form of axe blade. Then, she attached it to the top of the rod, jamming the bottom of the shard into a tiny hole in the top. It looked like a very dangerous, rather rag-tag axe, and she handed it to him.

"That ought to serve for some time before we need to replace it," she replied, packing whatever scant things they could salvage from the junk pile and putting it into her bag, "If it doesn't, let's hope you're a fist-fighter. Because that's all you'll get until we reach a city with a weapons dealer." Ryou didn't like the thought of bloodying his fists, but he didn't argue. Sami slid off the bed, slung the bag onto her shoulder, and led Ryou out into the hall. She took the right path, down a route Ryou had never seen. The torches here were blown out completely, and the air was cold and thin. But she kept going, finally stopping at one door. She opened it carefully, and when it slid open, she turned to Ryou, signaled for him to be silent, and then went inside. Ryou stayed and listened carefully. Sami spoke something, but whoever she was speaking to didn't appreciate her words in the least.

"I told you to get lost!" the voice cried. Ryou's eyes widened. He knew that voice! He knew that person! Of all the people who could've wound up here, the last person he had ever expected to find was Malik Ishtar. It was just too ironic that Sami would've been trying to befriend him; Malik didn't get along with many people. Unable to control his impulse, Ryou ran into the room.

"Malik?" he called, and then froze when he saw the pitiful excuse for a room. It was dark, the window being the only source of wane light. There was nothing but a bed, and a rather musty bed, at that. And Malik looked worse for the wear. His hair was unusually untidy, and his clothing looked dirty. A bruise decorated his left hand. He had to have been there for some time. Sami glanced from him, to Ryou, and then back to Malik again.

"You two know each other?" she asked. Ryou nodded, but Malik didn't acknowledge her at first. Then, he gave a curt nod as well.

"Yeah. Ryou's a friend of mine," the boy stated shortly, and snuck a glance at Ryou, "What the hell are you doing here and why are you with _her_?" he asked, pointing a thumb at Sami, who pretended not to be paying any attention. Ryou just smiled shyly.

"It's a long story, but I'm going to escape with her," he replied gently, "Malik, I'd like you to come. I think she can get us out of here." Malik's eyes narrowed, and he looked at Sami seriously. He hadn't trusted her, for a reason Ryou didn't know, but if Ryou trusted her, she couldn't be totally insane. Or maybe she could. Ryou did live with Bakura, and Bakura was insane. He sighed, shaking his head.

"Fine. I'll come," he decided reluctantly, "But if we die, I'm blaming _her_. Ryou, she's crazy. She nearly killed me when she first met me." All Ryou could do was laugh. He didn't have the heart to tell Malik she did the same damn thing to him as well. Nor did he have the heart to say Bakura shared this opinion of her. Sami finally reacted, but not to what was said. She strode to the bed, and looked down at it.

"Well, if you both think I'm criminally insane, then I'll leave by myself," she stated simply, putting her hands on the edge of the bed, "I don't need to listen to this at all." With one move, she flipped the bed onto the rack of the wall, revealing a manhole right in the ground. That must've been the entrance into a sewer. She picked up the manhole and proceeded to heave it into the air, not even flinching as it crashed into a wall. Ryou was sure such an act of strength should've broken a decent chunk of the stone out, but it didn't do anything. Quickly, she turned to Ryou.

"This tunnel should lead into the sewers, and if I can navigate them, we should be dumped out somewhere along the Domino-Algon road," she told him calmly, "From there, we're going to Algon first to see if there's any supplies we can get. We'll need to buy some food, and a good sleep would be nice. After that, I'll escort you to Domino, and hopefully I can get back to hunting this Mystic down." Ryou nodded. That seemed a quick, easy plan to follow. Except that he had never heard of Algon before. He tilted his head, silently wondering why Sami would stop there; there had to have been something other than supplies, because she sounded upset at the mention of the city. He was curious about that.

"What's in Algon?" he asked. Sami's eyes narrowed gently, and he guessed she didn't particularly want to speak about the matter. But, she answered him nonetheless.

"That's where I lived before I ended up here," she replied calmly, "I don't really want to go back, but I'll explain later if you want. Let's just get going and get the hell out of Dodge." Ryou nodded, and Sami drew out her knife, jumping into the hole, followed by Ryou, and then Malik. All of them landed on hard, cold dirt. That relieved Sami somewhat; she half expected to land in sewage. But to Ryou, where they were looked like a tunnel more than a sewer. He didn't even smell anything putrid or rotten. Holding out her hand, Sami urged Malik to hand her the Millennium Rod. Ryou was surprised that she knew what it was, for she used the light it provided to look carefully around where they were standing. The walls were made of rock and dirt as well, bringing a smell of fresh earth toward them. Tree roots poked out down one path, but what caused her hesitancy afterwards was a large, thick spider web. She shivered.

"I hate spiders," she admitted, using her dagger to destroy the intricate web. Ryou didn't appreciate that she just ruined a spider's home, but Malik just laughed.

"Me too," he replied. He and Sami exchanged small smiles before she led them down another tunnel, hacking any webs she came across. They moved slowly, carefully, using the light from the rod to the best of their advantage. The tunnel continued to go straight, something that made Ryou wonder if they were truly in a sewer. But before he could ask, Sami had stopped. She stopped so abruptly that Malik slammed right into her, smacking his nose into her shoulder. Ryou frowned, trying to see above them both, but all he saw was darkness.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, as Malik rubbed his nose, making sure it wasn't bloody. Sami's lips thinned, her eyes narrowing as she held the rod out farther. She listened for something, but Ryou couldn't hear anything.

"There are guards down here," she whispered, "How the hell did they know we were coming this way?" Malik looked ahead from behind her shoulder, and saw a distant speck of light flickering. It was a torch. That wasn't a good sign; even if it wasn't a guard, it was _something_. He glanced at her.

"It doesn't matter. We have to run," he said just as quietly, but he and Sami both knew that the only way out was back up into his cell. So, running was a poor option. But the only other alternative was to kill whoever was up ahead. And, that decision was already made for them, because whoever was up ahead finally saw them. It was indeed a guard, by the light reflecting off of his chain armor. He pointed to them.

"Get them! They're trying to escape!"

"We have a breach! Get Lord Katsaiga!" Sami growled, and ran ahead. She planted her dagger right into the chest of one unsuspecting guard, black blood streaming down him and splashing onto the floor. Ryou and Malik watched in awe at the speed of which she moved. No normal woman her age would've been so quick to dispatch the guards, but Ryou remembered she was a Chesier; there was a good chance she'd been in combat before.

"Die," she said, putting her hands to one guard's neck and snapping it to the side. Ryou winced as he heard a crunch of the neck, and saw Sami drop the guard, who crumpled into a heap on the floor. But for all the death she was committing, what she failed to see was that guards were coming up behind them, as well. Malik kicked the closest one away, and dragged Ryou to where Sami stood, backing up against her.

"I really hope you have a good plan, Sam," he grumbled, "We're going to die if you don't." But, Sami always had a good plan. Besides, the only way to go was forward. She dragged her friends down the tunnel, taking a left when the road forked. Ryou wondered how she knew where the hell she was going, but he didn't question her.

"Whatever you do… don't scream," she replied, and grabbed each of their wrists in her hand. She jumped a long chasm, and Ryou didn't think her grip should've been strong enough to crack their wrists, but he was terrified she'd break their hands off. She was impossibly strong. They flew across the wide chasm, and came crashing into the ground, Sami turning their landing into a roll as they fell out of the tunnel. The world opened up before them, verdant grass spreading out toward a dusty dirt path, with forests off in the far distance. But, their relief was short-lived, for right behind them came another figure, dressed in an ornate blue gown, with red hair rippling down her back. Her skin was quite pale, and on her head sat a tiara. Ryou gulped. That had to be the Mystic Sami was going to kill. She appeared almost amused as she looked down upon them.

"Nice work, lady Sith," she said, and the name caused Sami's mouth to drop, "I didn't honestly expect you to escape. Most pleasing. But it saddens me. I was hoping I could explain the situation before you made it so I'd have to kill you." Her voice was amazingly gentle, but Sami seemed disturbed to see her. She gripped the pommel of her sword.

"You'll explain nothing before I lop that head off," she growled, "And, you've gotten my name wrong." The woman raised a concerned brow, but merely smiled the inconvenience away. Ryou glanced between both women. He had expected an encounter, but he didn't think Sami actually _knew_ this Mystic _personally_. It made him wonder just what she was trying to do. But, the woman spoke again.

"If only you knew…" she said sadly, and then sighed, "Now then, what say we continue this game of hide and seek?" Sami didn't know what that meant, but she wasn't stupid. And neither was Ryou. Whoever this woman was, she enjoyed seeing them escape. But why? Why was she so happen when she had kidnapped them all in the first place? Sami's ears lowered.

"You're going to continue chasing us," Sami stated flatly, but Katsaiga shook her head, pointing a long finger toward Ryou, "Why him!?" Ryou blinked, silently wondering the same thing. It didn't make too much sense to him; he was only human. And he didn't know a damn about magic until Sami showed up. The woman just smiled.

"Because we want revenge, Sith," she replied calmly, "And Ryou is the means to get it. If you had stayed, I could have helped you understand, but you've chosen to run. And so, I must stop you before you escape yet again, and take him with you." Ryou was thoroughly confused by what was being said, but Sami seemed all the more irritated by it. She lifted a hand, glaring furiously at the woman.

"Then take an early hint and die," she growled, and shot a large blast of searing fire at the woman. Her dress caught fire, and she screamed as she fell to the ground. But, Sami ignored it. She grabbed Ryou's wrist and ran into the plains, with Malik following closely behind. The burning woman was left alone. As they ran, Ryou turned to her, smiling widely.

"You won! You killed her!" he exclaimed, but she shook her head. No, nothing was quite that simple, and if she had, she wouldn't be running away with him.

"Don't be foolish," she warned, "She's far from dead. We have to keep going before she gets back up and follows. Once we get to Algon, we'll run straight to Domino. I'll keep you both away from her, and I'll kill her when I know you're both safe." Ryou noticed a sense of panic in Sami's voice. He had never known people to live through being set aflame, but she was still terrified the woman would. Malik, however, seemed less sympathetic to her feelings. He stopped, raising a skeptical brow as he placed one hand on his hip.

"Wait, you're actually thinking of _still going after her?_" he asked flatly, and snorted, "Sami, that wench _abducted_ us! And now she's toying with you! Why don't you just leave her alone!?" Sami turned to look at him, her mouth set in a deep frown. Whatever her reason, Malik knew there wouldn't be much convincing her to do otherwise.

"Because if I just 'leave her alone,' we're all going to die," she said darkly, her tone sending shivers up Malik's spine, "Do you honestly think she's the only one of her kind? Don't be an idiot, Malik. I know how these Mystics work. They're going to overwhelm this world, if they haven't yet. It's best if I take them down _now_, as opposed to later. The sooner she's dead, the better off." Ryou looked at Malik, who seemed thoroughly spooked with Sami's answer. Quickly, he touched the ring and consulted Bakura on the matter, and the spirit confirmed that she'd spoken of this to him once before. There was no reason for her to be lying to them.

"What do you think? Should we go, too?" he whispered to Malik, who nodded. In turn, he told Sami that they planned to tag along with her, and while she didn't appear to appreciate the decision, she didn't object. She merely pointed across the vast plain, off toward the horizon, where the sky was beginning to darken. Ryou raised a brow; it wasn't late in the day. It shouldn't have been so dark over there. But before he could comment, Sami was already speaking again.

"Algon is toward the northwest of here," she began, "We're going there for a supply run, and only that. I'd rather not stay too long, but if it can't be avoided, it won't be. Just don't try to find a reason to stay." Ryou was pretty confused with that answer. He wanted to know what could've possibly been in Algon to make her so tense on the subject. She had mentioned living there, and he wondered if something bad had happened to her there. He could only guess, and he highly doubted she'd actually tell them. She struck him as someone who liked to be vague. Or maybe she just didn't mean to be. Either way, the explanation puzzled him.

"Sami…" he began, hoping she'd answer at least this question, "Just how long have you been fighting this woman?" She turned to him, and for a moment, he swore she looked many years older. But just for a moment. That moment faded, but her expression looked so stern, so absolute, that he had no choice but to believe her answer.

"Years," she said. Ryou had no ground to argue, but Malik's mouth dropped.

"Years!?" he blurted out, eyes widened to the point of looking ready to pop, "How the hell can it be _years_!? You've only been in that castle for a few weeks!" Unfortunately, that logic didn't really seem to affect Sami that much. Her eyes just narrowed at him carefully, as though finding holes in each of his words. Her frown lessened only a fraction of what it'd once been.

"And that much is true," she replied easily, yet there was a sense of wariness to her, "But I never said this started when I was _captured_. I only said it's been going on ever since then. Pay attention to my words. They'd tell you a lot if you listened." Ryou didn't like that insult, and neither did Malik. They both glared at her, one angrily, the other coldly. But Sami just seemed to shrug it off. It must not have bothered her much. Ryou had to admit that she was good at being calm. Unfortunately, Malik wasn't feeling so generous.

"What kind of crap answer is that!?" he demanded, "Look, you, I'm getting tired of guessing what the hell you're trying to tell us! Why can't you just spit it out!? Don't you trust us?" Ryou was expecting Sami to get just the slightest bit of irritation, but she just snorted in amusement. Her sly smile reappeared, and she took off her glasses, revealing steel green eyes. Ryou blinked. Something about them seemed so cold, so bitter for a woman her age. But her smile seemed to dispel that coldness.

"No," she replied simply, and Ryou felt he should've just laughed, "I don't particularly trust anyone." That was a pretty ironic reaction to have, since she was pretty much forcing _them_ to trust _her_. Malik clearly was getting tired of her. His eye twitched.

"You don't particularly like making sense, either," he mumbled. Sami just snorted again, crossing her arms. Her glasses clicked in her hands. She seemed to be enjoying this thoroughly.

"It's all perspective and perception," she replied calmly, casually, "I might not make sense to _you_, but did you ever consider that might be because I'm seeing things in a different way than you?" That only seemed to confuse both Ryou and Malik more. Sighing, she continued, "To you, I'm going after that woman, and getting in way over my head, and you don't see the entire story, because before now, neither of you were part of my life. But, if you had known me, had seen the things I've seen, you'd understand why I'd do something as crazy as this."

"Then why don't you _tell_ us?" Malik asked, trying to keep a decent level of patience in his voice before he just exploded on her. Ryou didn't need to see someone die, even though he knew that if Malik tried to kill Sami, he'd end up with a sword through his chest. Or a knife. Or a bullet, or whatever the hell Sami wielded. Ryou didn't care to know which one it would've been. Sami just turned sharply to him again, this time a malice in her eyes Ryou hadn't seen before. Now, Malik was obviously annoying her.

"Because I don't like talking to stupid children," she said angrily, and then stormed away. Whatever they were planning to ask her, Ryou now felt they wouldn't get any answers. At least, not right away, and not from her. No, the answers would come from Algon. And that's where they should've been heading.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After escaping the castle, and meeting the woman responsible for their abduction, Ryou, Sami, and Malik now must make their way to Algon, where it's clear Sami just doesn't want to go. What's there that's causing such hesitancy for her, and can she safely escort Ryou and Malik home? Or will they end up joining her in the battle? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	7. Sitting down to Nostalgia

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and it's an awesome show. It just needs some aliens in it to be extreme.

Ryou hadn't truly expected Sami to get overly angry at them, but she was obviously pissed off by what Malik had asked. She had already gotten very far ahead by the time he and Malik began to walk across the expansive plain before them. The horizon was darkening already, that darkness beginning to stretch across the sky in wispy strips. Ryou had called for her to be careful, but she proceeded to ignore him. That stung a little, but he didn't know what else to do. He had little to no experience with dealing when a woman was mad at you. Malik looked at her retreating form, brows furrowed as though he were trying to figure out just what had made her so angry with both of them. Finally, he looked at Ryou, frowning.

"I'm not apologizing to her," he stated, as though Ryou had told him to do so, "If she wants to be this bitchy, we might as well let her." Ryou didn't want to point out that it was actually Malik who had gotten angry first. That wouldn't have helped. But he did want to stress that making someone like Sami mad might get them killed. Especially from her. He remembered she still had a knife _and_ a sword on her.

"You know, if we die, technically it'll be your fault," he stated, and Malik's mouth dropped, "She likes her secrets, but she does want to protect me. Now that you offended her, we don't know what she'd do. If we do die, it's your fault for pissing her off." Malik wanted to argue, wanted to tell him again that Sami was probably insane, but that wouldn't have changed Ryou's opinion. _He_ convinced Malik to join them, anyway. Obviously, he liked Sami enough to trust her with their lives, something Malik couldn't say the same for. Malik just sighed. If he had any hope of living, he had to be her friend.

"Sami, please just tell us what's wrong," he said, almost unwillingly. Ryou didn't think Sami would listen, but to his surprise, she stopped. She turned, and Ryou saw she'd drawn her sword. Silently, he wished she'd put it away. One wrong word, and it wouldn't take much for that sword to personally shake hands with his heart.

"I thought you were sure I was insane," she retorted coldly. Malik rolled his eyes, wishing she hadn't thrown that back in his face. Ryou decided he ought to play diplomat before someone really did get killed.

"He's sorry. We're both sorry. We just want to know why you're upset with Algon," he replied gently, "Did something happen there?" Sami sighed. She didn't want to tell them, but she couldn't blame them for being curious. She sat down, and patted the ground next to her. Ryou sat beside her, and Malik just flopped on the ground across from her. For a moment, she said nothing. Then, she spoke, looking at them both seriously.

"I've been living in Algon since I was small," she told them, "I'm a Chesier. At least, I believe I am. When I was small, I was taken in by a human family. My mother was kind, but my father… he thought I was a monster. He couldn't look at me, couldn't even speak to me, without turning it into a fight. And neither of my sisters seemed particularly happy with me, either." Ryou's lips thinned. So she had been adopted. That happened often; he couldn't see the problem yet.

"So you hate it because you have a crappy family?" Malik asked, raising a confused brow. Sami almost laughed; obviously, he didn't see the problem either. But she shook her head.

"No, no, that's no reason to leave," she replied, amused, "I left for a very different reason. I left because _everyone else_ thought I was some sort of monster, too. I was different, but not in the way you think. My difference was that I could actually use magic. Many people dream of it, even fake it sometimes. But I actually could. It was an awkward position to be in." That made a little bit more sense. Ryou had often heard some cities had trouble accepting something as impossible as actual magic. Algon had to have been one of those places.

"Did they take advantage of you?" he asked her. She shook her head again.

"No. Some actually thought it was pretty cool," she said, chuckling before she grew grim again, "But many, especially adults, feared me. Even at a younger age, I possessed a level of power that not even normal Chesiers have. Many wondered why this was. My mother tried to tell me it was all right. That it was just an influx. But my father… he wanted me out before I was eighteen years of age." Ryou frowned. Whoever her father had been, he sounded like a real asshole. Even Bakura gave a silent nod of agreement. Malik seemed the most disturbed by it; where he came from, the only way to get out of a family was to break tradition or die.

"That's _stupid!_" he exclaimed, pounding a fist on the ground, "All kinds of non-humans have been here for thousands of years! So what if you're strongest than them!? People need a damn backbone anyway!" Sami just smiled weakly. That made her feel a bit better to hear. But, she still was upset. Obviously, no one else had agreed with that notion, however noble.

"Magic's a difficult term to grasp. It could be blamed for any number of things no one can scientifically explain otherwise," she replied, "People fear what they know least. And, unfortunately, people know very little about magic."

"But can't you teach them?" Ryou asked, and Sami gave him a questioning glance, "I mean, magic's not evil. Can't you show them it's good?" Sami's smile widened slightly. It wasn't a happy smile. It was a smile that told him she'd tried that already. There weren't enough decent examples to prove it.

"Unfortunately, around the time I came into adulthood, the Mystics had already settled around here," she replied slyly, "Cities suffered badly. It wasn't a good time to go telling people that it wasn't so bad, that they were just misunderstanding it. No, I'd have had my wings blown off for that, either from humans or from Mystics." Malik just snorted. That was a casual answer for something so grim. But Ryou didn't find it amusing. No, something like this was terrible. Not because of Sami's past, but it obviously meant something. And Sami knew it, too. Why else would she leave to go after them?

"But then, if they were afraid of magic, what does that have to do with _us_?" he asked her, "Why leave to go and kill another source of magic?" Sami hummed. _That_ was the answer she didn't want to give them. Her grin broadened as she patted her sword.

"Some magic is evil, Ryou. Some magic is so evil, that it never should have existed," she replied darkly, negating her smile, "Long ago… I made the mistake of learning of it. I never practiced it, but I knew what it was. When I was sixteen, alone, I set out to find it. My little sister had come home in a fright, unable to explain what she saw by the river near Algon. But I knew what she'd seen. Monsters. Terrifying monsters. I killed them, but by myself, the magic wouldn't die. It was then that I saw the citadel. Looming in the distance, I could only sense the weak pulses of evil magic there. But I was weak. I could do nothing." Ryou frowned. He was glad to know no one drove her out on purpose. But she had gone intentionally, and she'd gone for _them_. For the very people she didn't like.

"Then what?" he urged, excited to hear the rest. Sami just patted his head, looking at him proudly.

"Three years later, when I'd finally told my family I was leaving to storm this citadel, I amassed a brave group of soldiers to help me get there," she replied, her voice growing in strength, "Together, we walked the streets to kill the evil that was threatening this world. Together, we would destroy it and finally set this world right. And together… we failed. Monsters ransacked the city. One had slammed into a large truck, causing it to swerve to where we stood. Many didn't survive the impact. Only I awoke in the morgue, where it had been assumed I was dead." That sent a wave of shivers up Ryou's spine. A morgue. She had ended up in a morgue. It was the perfect disguise. She was free to go around and kill this evil with no danger to her loved ones. And yet, it haunted her.

"So that led you to that castle," Ryou concluded, and Sami nodded, "But I still don't get it. What does that have to do with me? Or Malik? And why does that mean we have to go to Algon?" Sami tilted her head, thinking about those questions. She didn't have answers for them, but she could try to answer nonetheless. She tapped the purple steel of her sword.

"That, I haven't figured out yet," she said cryptically, "And I might never, but that's not a problem right now. The problem we're facing is time. Mainly, the lack of it. It's only a matter of time before those Mystics try for Algon. I've heard they devastated Duran not too long ago. I'm worried Domino would be next." And with that, she stood up. She had told her tale, but it didn't shed too much light on what was currently happening. Not that Ryou actually expected it to. He asked specifically so he could understand why Sami was doing this. He just wished he understood why he'd been targeted. Was it over the Millennium Ring?

"So, if they're magical, like you, are they coming after us because of our items?" Ryou asked her, wondering if that had anything to do with it. Sami hummed, and then shook her head. Her response couldn't have been more definite; she was positive the items, if she knew anything about them, had absolutely nothing to do with this.

"No," she replied, "At least, I highly doubt that's it. It's been some time since those items surfaced. The last time was when the Mystics were formed. That was the last record any of the Espers had of them. I don't believe the Mystics know of them, and if they do, they haven't caught any of the others yet." Ryou and Malik both froze, looking at her. From how she spoke, she knew of the items quite well. That was puzzling. Then, Ryou remembered what Bakura had said. She _looked_ young. That didn't necessarily mean she was. For all they knew, she was over a thousand years old. And if that was the case, Ryou heard Bakura faintly say she was good looking for being so old.

"Sami… how old are you?" Ryou asked suspiciously. The question clearly was expected at some point, because she gave a smile that was just a bit too knowing, just a bit too broad.

"…twenty-one," she replied. Ryou's eyes widened. Twenty-one! No wonder she treated him like a child. He was barely seventeen years old. She chuckled a bit too quickly for his comfort before starting ahead again. Malik just patted Ryou on the back. Then, he grinned, looking at the boy.

"Twenty-one, eh?" he teased, "A little old for you, isn't she?" Ryou nudged him hard in the ribs angrily, obviously not liking the joke. Malik snorted, and then asked, "Do you actually believe her?" Ryou frowned slowly. The truth was, he didn't know what to believe. She was either telling the truth and just knew way too much, or she was lying to them. He didn't know which was right.

"…I believe what she said about Algon," he replied slowly, carefully, "But not what she said about her age. She's older than that, Malik. I know she is." He told Malik about the split second in which he saw a much older version of Sami… and somehow, he told him it wasn't quite the same as her. Malik listened intently, and then looked at the woman's retreating form. Something did seem kind of off with her, now that he thought about it. Knowledge was important, but to know what she knew about magic… not even Ishizu knew much about magic, and she _studied_ it.

"Hmm… well, until she feels like getting the stick out of her ass, we'll pretend she's twenty-one," he said, shrugging, "Besides, it doesn't matter right now. All I care about is getting into, and subsequently out of, Algon. We should do that easily, right?" He hadn't expected Sami to hear him from their distance, but somehow, she had. She turned just so slightly.

"Depends on whatever's left," she said simply, "If they ransacked it already, we're screwed so deep, it won't be funny." Ryou didn't like the sound of that, and crossed his fingers that Algon was okay. Malik decided to drill Sami a bit more on her family life, seeing as how he didn't believe she was completely without relatives. And, as a matter of fact, she wasn't. She had one relative: a sister named Katt.

"She and I were separated as kids," she was saying calmly, almost cheerfully, "I don't remember my parents, but I remember her. Of everyone, she's the reason I've started trying to look for the Mystics here. She's the one that spotted them first, and told me about them five years ago." Ryou tilted his head. That meant she wasn't working alone, something that he found relieved him. He didn't like the thought of her taking down an entire race by herself. But did that mean she wasn't going to need his help now?

"Are you going to look for her?" he asked her. Sami nodded grimly, as she led them up a steep hill.

"Yes. She's very much like me. She can use magic, and she's good at sneaking around. Her help will be invaluable to get back _into_ Sylatone castle," she replied slyly, "And, yes, in case you are curious, she is my age." Ryou shivered. Not because there was a possibility of another crazy non-human running around, but because Sami was actually planning on _going back_ to where they had just escaped from. That was the stupidest tactic he'd ever taken, but she seemed to understand what she was getting into. Malik, of course, was too focused on the fact that she even had a sister.

"You have a twin!?" he demanded, exasperation flooding his voice. Sami nodded again, but this time, she was amused. Malik was obviously terrified of the thought of another one of her around.

"Yes, though we look nothing alike, and act very little alike. While I'm very cynical to humans, and not trusting of them, she is rather kind," she told him, and was happy to see him relax on that note, "I hadn't thought of introducing you, but if you tag along afterwards, _despite my warning_, you might meet her." An odd grin began to form on Malik's face, one that Ryou was acutely aware of. Seems like he liked the thought of a kinder, not-so-similar version of Sami.

"Were you really going to introduce us?" Ryou whispered to Sami, secretly pointing out Malik's look. Sami's eyes narrowed flatly. She knew _exactly_ what that look meant. Ryou didn't blame her for disliking it.

"Now that I think about it, I'm not sure it's wise," she replied flatly, making Ryou grin, "I'll need her help, but I certainly don't trust _that thing_ you call a best friend." Ryou actually laughed at that point. He didn't particularly trust Malik, either. The boy rarely showed interest in women, but when he did, the interest was profound. Tea was able to attest to that one.

"I'm sure it won't be…" Ryou suddenly frowned. If Sami had a sister, and that sister was the one who originally found the source of the disturbance Sami was fighting… did that mean that sister knew who she really was? Wondering if that's true, he asked her, "Sami, will your sister tell me who you are?" Sami looked at him critically, and all traces of gentleness seemed to fade. She obviously didn't like the question.

"You are a persistent one," she commented, almost coldly, "Why do you want to know who or what I am? Isn't what you see just good enough?" Ryou shivered from the anger that was apparent in her voice. Realistically, that was good enough for anyone. But this whole trip was unrealistic. He shook his head.

"No," he replied gently, "Sami, I want to know. I want to know what this has to do with me and who you are." Sami snorted shortly. Then, a smile formed on her face. She nodded.

"Fine," she let her wings spread wide, purple light reflecting off of them, "As I've said, I don't know entirely myself who I am. But I am a Chesier. A powerful one, and I know things that I shouldn't know. That I technically _couldn't_ know. But I know them. I know very little about myself, and for some reason, that's fine with me. And, I don't know why you're tangled up in this. And that's all you'll get." Ryou frowned. That barely shed any light on her at all. It was basically what Bakura told him, just worded slightly differently. He sighed. So much for that. Sami took the ensuing silence as an okay to move ahead, and she led them on. Malik followed her, but Ryou was preoccupied now. He couldn't figure out why Sami didn't want to tell him everything. Not that it concerned him, but he _was_ curious. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe she was suspicious. Ryou wouldn't know, and as he tried to think of it until he slammed unexpectedly into Malik's elbow. He nearly staggered back, holding his nose for fear that it was now broken. Only a tiny tendril of blood leaked out.

"What the hell!?" he demanded through his hands, looking up. Sami and Malik had both stopped. Before them stood two large, rusted iron gates, standing on walls that had long since crumbled. Now that they were so close to the city, it was inevitably darker out. Which was unnatural; according to Ryou's watch, it wasn't even four in the afternoon. He looked around quickly, wondering what could've caused such a terrible feeling he was beginning to get. It was as though something were watching them, but nothing was there. He glanced at Sami. She looked defiant as she stood in front of the gates, sword in hand, the tip of the blade touching the ground. She looked upset.

"…I never thought I'd ever drag my ass back in here," she said, in an odd monotone, "I never imagined this would be part of my travels." Malik patted her back. He might not have liked her, but he did respect her, and he knew something was wrong. He just didn't know what it was.

"Will you be okay?" he asked her. She hesitated, and then slowly nodded, sheathing her sword.

"I'll be fine. I'm just dumbfounded, that's all," she replied calmly, and took a step forward, "Let's go, friends. I sense a dark presence here." That was enough for either Malik or Ryou. Even if they couldn't sense it themselves, they didn't need to. If Sami said something was wrong, they believed fully that something was wrong.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After passing the plains, and after finding out from Sami why she had come through the castle and why she's even there at all, Ryou now wonders just what he has to do with any of this. Unfortunately, Sami doesn't appear to have that answer. But just what does he have to do with this? What is the presence Sami feels in Algon? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	8. The gates of Algon

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he doesn't approve of Ryou nearly getting killed three or four times. Frankly, millions agree.

They stood in front of that rusted gate for some time, looking over the entire scene that unfolded before them. The verdant grasses and meadows had ended close to the gate, thinning out appropriately near the edges, giving the city a desolate, dead look. The sky above the city was dark, thick with clouds that threatened to break out into a storm. The wind was quiet, stirring not even a leaf. And, but Sami's grave expression, she didn't like any of it. Neither did Ryou, but he had never lived here. This may very well have been what it always was like. But, then again, perhaps not. Sami seemed pretty disturbed by it all. Malik looked at her when she didn't move for a few moments.

"Are we going in?" he asked her quietly, as not to spook her. She nodded, and walked forward, holding out a hand to the gate. It felt grimy in her hand, some areas hardened by rust and weather. She flinched at it, but didn't back away. Instead, she took something out of her bag, and sprayed it onto the bars. They withered away, and then crumbled into dust. Ryou had never seen metal do such a thing, and apparently, neither had Malik. They stared at the spot in disbelief. Nothing was left of the left side of the gates!

"What the hell is that stuff!?" Malik demanded in surprise, eyes widened as he watched her spray the right side next. Again, it withered and crumbled into dust, leaving nothing in its wake.

"Witherbane," Sami replied, "It grows around the parapets along Sylatone and in the gardens encased there. It's said that, in a condensed form, it melts all kinds of metallic substances and many enchanted ones as well. Hard to find, unsurprisingly enough." She went on about the plant's properties as she led them through the gate and into the town, but after seeing the first section, Ryou ceased to listen to her. He couldn't believe the sight he now beheld. He had expected a small, somewhat open city, but what greeted him was a dirty, ramshackle, pathetic excuse of a city, the exact opposite. Dung lined the gutters, giving off a terrible smell that made Ryou want to retch. Garbage littered the streets, some cluttering entire sections of the road, others just been dropped in random places. No grass grew there; it had all been either poisoned away or burned to the ground. And the buildings… that was the poorest sight of all. Many had been vandalized, broken windows and discarded tiles decorating the entrances and window frames. Bricks had been broke free, and some structures looked on the verge of collapsing entirely. It was utterly disgusting.

"You lived here?" Malik asked, looking at a dumpster that had rusted over, "Sami, this is gross! I'm glad you left!" The scene that greeted them had a profound effect on Sami. Her eyes had watered, her glasses trembling on her face. Her tail shook nervously, and her wings were ruffling in discontent. She shook her head.

"It wasn't like this, two years ago," she said distantly, hand gripping her sword's hilt, "This town was clean. It was… beautiful. What… what on earth happened? Katsaiga… did she destroy this place?" Ryou guessed that Katsaiga was the one Sami was intending to kill first. And it was pretty obvious _something_ had blown the place apart. Even if it wasn't her, it was something magical. No weapon could've done this, save for a nuclear bomb. And Ryou knew no one was stupid enough to use one of those. He couldn't even smell or see any radiation. Malik was too shocked to stand, and he made his way to a creaky, old bench that sagged as he sat down. Sami remained standing, looking down the road grimly. Ryou didn't follow her gaze. He could only guess at what she was looking for.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked her, almost regretting the words as they left his mouth. He had a feeling that if Sami really wanted him to know, she'd have told him. But she didn't rebuke him. She continued looking at the ground, her arms crossed.

"Visiting my family and telling them I'm leaving for good," she replied absently, "They deserve to know the truth." Ryou nodded, wanting to smile at that resolution. It was a good one to come to, but that left both him and Malik at a loss with what to do; he doubted Sami's family wanted visitors, especially with how the city was looking.

"Then what of us?" he asked her. She looked up and smiled thinly. Ryou didn't believe for a second that this was anything worth smiling over. She was probably just smiling to assure him that she was all right. Her hesitancy was palpable.

"There's an inn here that should provide some lodging," she replied calmly, pointing down a narrow road that wound deeper into a once-heavily-inhabited residency, "There's no one to run it, I doubt, but it should still be standing. Wait for me there." Ryou wanted to agree, but the tone in her voice made him wonder if leaving her would be wise. She sounded absolutely depressed with the thought of going. But he knew enough about her. She'd make herself go.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come?" he asked her quietly, low enough so Malik didn't hear. He was already teasing Ryou enough about Sami. Sami shook her head.

"It's best if I go alone," she told him firmly, "If they're terrified, it'd be worse if I brought you both along. Ryou, good luck, and don't do a damn thing until I return." Ryou nodded, patted her on the shoulder, and then watched her walk down another road, one that seemed to leave the city entirely. He let out a deep breath. He _wanted_ to follow her, to make sure she'd be okay. He didn't entirely trust the confident shell she had. But he didn't move. He just sighed again, and Malik glanced over at him. Several minutes passed between them before either spoke.

"What do we do now?" Malik finally asked, when it felt like hours had passed. Ryou blinked, forcing himself to take action. Right then, the worst thing to do was to ignore whatever Sami had said: she was the only one who actually knew what they were going up against. And she had given them rather specific directions. He grinned slightly, wondering her reaction if he did just decide to ignore her.

"I guess we get to that inn and wait for her," Ryou replied, shrugging, "We could ignore her if you want to do some sightseeing, but I like living." Malik just laughed. Obviously, Ryou had gotten the 'rebellious' treatment as well. Which meant Sami tried to kill him, too. He nodded vigorously on that note.

"As do I, my friend," he said, still containing a snort before becoming serious again, "But what I don't understand is why she's directing us to an inn. I thought she said we were leaving here as soon as she got her crap." Ryou did find that a little odd, but he hadn't questioned her. She did say that if she said something, they'd have to follow it.

"Maybe she knows getting out of here's harder than just walking out," came a voice from one of the buildings, "The entire city's a wreck." Ryou turned sharply and saw Yugi stepping out from a darkened doorway. He looked a little worse for the wear, too; his hair was frizzy, some of the points drooping. And he looked exhausted. Ryou wondered just what he was doing here, but Malik managed to answer for him.

"Yugi, what the hell are you _doing_ here!?" Malik demanded, one eye widening slightly in what he hoped was a questioning look. Yugi bit his lip, looking around for a moment before answering. Obviously, that was a question he'd have liked to avoid.

"When Ryou disappeared, and three days passed, everyone decided we had to look for him. But he wasn't in Domino, and I didn't think he could've gone to Duran, either," Yugi replied shyly, and then asked, "What brings you guys here, anyway?" Ryou hummed, wondering if it was safe to tell Yugi. Sami hadn't said anything about if anyone else could help them. He figured it was fine, so he told Yugi everything he could since waking up in the castle. Yugi listened with wide eyes and alert ears. It all sounded like a horror story, but what amazed him most was when Sami entered the picture.

"_I_ still don't believe half the shit that happened, and I went through it," Malik commented when Ryou finished. Yugi was practically beaming from ear to ear at that point. He had never heard such a story, and he knew Ryou was telling the truth. Yami had hinted that something was wrong four months before, and if Ryou found something relating to it, Yugi knew he could believe it. Even more impressive was that a _non-human_ had been the one to help Ryou out. Ryou had explained everything he could about Sami, even down to her magic.

"I don't know this woman, but she sounds awesome!" Yugi exclaimed when Ryou was done, "But where is she?" Ryou chuckled. He was amused that Yugi actually wanted to meet her. Sami was _not_ a people person, or so he thought of her.

"She's getting some supplies… hopefully…" Ryou mumbled, hoping that was what Sami was up to, "But what do you mean, the city's a wreck? Is it that bad?" Yugi nodded darkly.

"Yeah. Some passages are blocked off completely, and many of the buildings in the denser sections were blown into oblivion," he replied grimly, "Yami's ready to head home at this point. He doesn't see anything improving any time soon." Ryou couldn't help but laugh. Giving up when nothing went right did seem like something Yami would do if he was having a bad day. And, if he and Yugi spent four days here, he was definitely having a bad day.

"I don't blame him, personally," Malik said, frowning, "This place is the pits. I almost can't believe Sami would drag us through here!"

"Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice. The road to Domino's blocked completely, and there's no way to get through it yet," Yugi told him, "I had to practically climb through the junk just to get in, and I'm not getting myself stabbed with another branch to leave." Ryou hated that. Sami couldn't have known it was completely blocked off. If she did, he wanted to know how she expected to get over the blockage. Especially with the three of them. Even with her wings, Ryou doubted she could carry them all.

"This day sucks more and more as we go on," Malik mumbled, as they all began walking down the road, "Does Sami even _know_ this is a dead end!? I'm telling you, Ryou, she's crazy." Yugi just snickered, and Ryou mumbled something that wasn't unlike a quiet 'fuck you' to Malik. Yugi took the lead as the path bent slightly to the right. Here, the buildings were sagging, their signs creaking as a dead wind swept past. It barely cleared the smell of fecal matter in the air, and Ryou was beginning to see wisps of green in the air. He didn't dare breathe it in. They continued on, Ryou taking the entire sight in to tell Sami about later, until Yugi finally stopped at one tall building. It hadn't sagged over, but that made it loom over everything else, like a dark figure over its kneeling subjects. The walls had faded from a red to a dusty brown, and the windows were caked in dust. The sign was hanging on one hinge; altogether, the building was uninviting, but there was a certain amount of charm to it as well.

"Damn," Malik commented, as they pushed open the doors into the lobby. Unlike the outside, it looked relatively well-kept, which was what brightened Malik's tone as he said, "Sami knows how to pick 'em, eh?" Ryou nodded absently, looking at the old ledger on the reception desk. The last one to sign up was a man nearly two years ago. Right around when Sami said she had left to hunt the evil plaguing their world. Yugi had gone up the steps to the second floor, and both Ryou and Malik quickly followed, not wanting to lose him. He hadn't gone far. He stood outside of one door, and Ryou noticed his skin was pale. Something had gone wrong. Ryou looked over the boy's shoulder and saw that no one else was in the room.

"Yami, where did you go!?" Yugi asked, but got no response. He stepped inside and looked in the small bathroom, but no one else was in there, either. He thought of shouting the spirit's name, but Yami would've heard them come in if he was here. Which meant he had left. Yugi was on the verge of panic at the mere thought.

"He probably went to get some air," Ryou suggested, as Yugi walked back into the room slowly, "I wouldn't worry too much." That wasn't enough for Yugi. His eyes widened as though Ryou had just stated the dumbest thing in the entire universe. Slowly, he walked up to the older boy.

"Ryou… this is _Yami_ we're talking about," Yugi began gently, his voice growing in pitch with each word, "You know, the man who's been trapped in my puzzle for about a million years now? The man who's a pharaoh without his memory? _THE MAN WHO KNOWS NOTHING BUT DUELING!?_" Ryou had never seen Yugi freak out, but this was obviously getting to whatever was left of the boy's sanity. If someone didn't calm him down soon, he'd go off the deep end. Ryou tried to pat his back, but Malik just raised a skeptical brow. This wasn't that big of a deal, in his mind. Yami just left for a while. He was allowed to do that, especially if no one was around. Which probably shouldn't have happened, since he was a _spirit_.

"Don't you think Yami's smart enough to figure out how to use a phone on his own?" Malik asked, ignoring that fact for now. He'd figure out why Yami had left later. Yugi, however, didn't see the logic to that question. His eye twitched again. Ryou knew he just threw himself right off the edge.

"_NO, I DON'T!_" Yugi screamed, panting and wheezing. He was going completely ballistic. He knelt on the floor, trying to get air into his lungs, but he'd over-exerted himself. He passed out on the ground, and Ryou knelt, picking him up and placing him on the bed.

"He tired himself out," he commented gently, and Malik snorted, shaking his head.

"Right, and I'm sure flying off the handle like that really helped him," Malik stated, slumping into a chair, "How the hell did the pharaoh get a physical form, anyway!?" Ryou grumbled again. He didn't have the answer for certain, but he had a good guess as to what it could've been: magic. Just like magic was the answer for Sami's being here at all. And just like magic was the reason that guard had been murdered. Magic wasn't looking too good in Ryou's eyes right then. His eyes narrowed as he sat on the second bed.

"Who cares? We'll ask Sami later," he said, sighing. And, for whatever reason, that sort of answer was just all right with Malik as he leaned back to catch some much-needed rest.

---

It'd taken too damn long to get there. That's what Sami thought as she now stood on the steps of what had once been a home for her. Not a loving one, but a home nonetheless. Two years had passed since she set foot in that doorway. Two years of hardship that she could leave behind, if she were an irresponsible person. But Sami Winchester wasn't irresponsible. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what might come out of this. And then, she stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. Better to get this over with, than to not do it at all, she reminded herself. The door opened, and an older woman, in her forties, stepped out. She adjusted her glasses, and then they dropped in shock. There stood her daughter, who she assumed was dead.

"…Sami," she whispered, and Sami nodded, "But… how? Oh, dear, are you all right!?" Sami just smiled weakly as her mother hugged her. She really could leave all of that magical shit and just come home. But she wouldn't. She pulled away and looked at her mother's aging face. Clearly, the two years weren't kind to her; she had many more wrinkles than Sami had remembered. It almost made the Chesier cry.

"I'm… I'm fine, mom," she replied, "Mom… we need to talk. I haven't destroyed the Mystics yet."

"Oh, say no more, dear. Come in, come in. Dariel's asked so much about magic since you left," the woman said, leading Sami inside. Everything was as she had left it. The parlor was the same, with the same wooden furniture as before. The walls were still a gentle brown. And her dog was still fluffy and red as she walked in. He barked, and then yipped when he saw her. He rushed over, nearly knocking her down. A younger girl who'd been sitting on the couch looked over, and her jaw dropped.

"Sis!?" she asked, jumping up, "My god, I thought you'd _died_!"

"I nearly did," Sami replied, patting the girl's head, "But I'm not staying. I came to get my things. I'm… moving out." That was probably the best way to put it. Even if her mother believed her about magic, and even if Dariel believed her as well, neither Irna nor her father had believed her in the least. Saying that she had to fight off evil would've resulted in a very bad fight. But it might've kept Dariel from questioning her. The girl was absolutely flabbergasted.

"Moving out!? Why!?" the young girl demanded, "Are we boring you!? Did you really kill _them_!? …_IS IT OVER A BOY!?_" Sami nearly choked. Never in her life, save for that horrible nightmare, did she ever have feelings for someone before. And, if she had anything to reason with, she'd never have them. No, what she had to do was too dangerous for an attachment of any kind. She shook her head.

"None of them," she replied, and then lowered her voice, "I haven't killed the Mystics yet, and I can't let them track me back to you. I have to leave for your safety, sis. I'm sorry." Dariel frowned, and looked away. Their mother gave a worried sigh and walked over to Sami, taking the younger woman's hands. The glove on Sami's right hand felt thick in her hands.

"Oh, dear, I know you're doing what you can," she replied gently, eyes watering, "If you ever need, come back to us. Your father and older sister left us. You're safe here." Sami's body trembled. That was horrible news. She made a mental note to find her asshole of a father and set his ass on fire for leaving her mother and sister like that. And to kick her sister for doing the same. Again, she shook her head.

"Thank you," she replied, and after a short silence, said, "I must pack."

"Your room is as you left it, dear," her mother said. Sami nodded and went up the stairs. Her room really had been undisturbed. The bed was still in the upper left corner of the room. Her books had gathered dust from her absence. Her dog's food dish was still there, though it had clearly been used since she left. Taking a deep breath, Sami took her bag off her shoulder and went to packing it. She couldn't take everything, but she took what she needed: all of her books on magic, her potions, her mortar and pestle, a small pack of explosives, two knives, ammunition for her pistol, which she reminded herself she had to fix, a flashlight, and then her dog's leash. She'd have to take her dog with her. Poor thing was depressed when she had left him. Zipping her bag up, she went back downstairs and leashed her dog, who had jumped at the notion that he was joining her now. She turned to her mother.

"I can't take everything right now, but when I get settled, will you send me my things?" she asked. Her mother nodded.

"Of course, dear," her mother replied, and then hugged her, "Sami… I'm sorry, dear. I'm sorry it's happening this way. Do your best out there."

"Go get 'em, sis!" Dariel added, raising her fist in salute. Sami nodded, and then walked out of the house, her dog trotting beside her. A large, black cat that had been sleeping on the porch had gotten up and yowled at her. She looked at it. Like her dog, the cat had been with her for years as well. She didn't like that it was telling her it wanted to go; she needed someone to watch her family. And she reminded the cat of that. It growled, but sat back on the floor. In its mind, it promised her it'd protect them… until they were safe. Then it'd find her. She agreed. And then, she left the house. That was the last time she'd see them. And, she couldn't look back.

The trip to the inn took much less time than Sami expected. That might've been due to the fact that she was flying, but she had flown slowly enough to take a good look at the city. And she wished she hadn't. There was nothing promising here, and she only hoped Ryou would want to leave quickly. The dilapidation in the city was starting to get to her. She landed in front of the inn and stepped inside, expecting to see more decay. But, to her surprise, it was clean, and perhaps inhabitable. She went immediately upstairs, and found Ryou in one of the rooms, apparently alone. Stepping in silently with her dog, she found Malik was asleep, along with another boy she didn't know. Ryou looked up, and smiled when he saw her.

"Sami!" he whispered, and gestured to the chair across from him, "How'd it go?" Sami quietly walked over and sat down, letting out a tense sigh. Ryou's smile faded. That didn't sound very promising.

"Not too well," she replied tiredly, distantly, "My father left my mother and little sister, and my older sister moved out some time ago." Ryou just patted her back. Her dog growled at him, but a stern pat on the dog's muzzle told him Sami didn't appreciate the protection. He settled down near her feet.

"I'm sorry," Ryou said sadly, "Anyway, Sami, since we're staying here, can I ask for a favor?" Sami's gentle expression hardened almost immediately. It was enough to make Ryou flinch; he was actually a little afraid of her sometimes. Obviously, this favor wasn't going to go well.

"What is it?" she asked warily. Ryou backed away just a little, hoping she wouldn't try skewering him again.

"My friend is missing, and we need to find him. Can we look?" he dared to ask. Sami grumbled under her breath and looked away. Definitely not a good sign, no matter how little Ryou knew her. He risked tapping her shoulder, and she looked back at him. He had never seen her so grave before. Then he remembered what Yugi had said about getting out, and that technically, a Mystic was still after them. Sami had a right to be upset. But to his surprise, she actually agreed.

"Yes. We will look for him," she replied slowly, "But where was he last seen?" Ryou had hoped she hadn't asked that. When he was alone, he had asked Bakura to search for the spirit in question, and all Bakura said was that he was underground. Which meant the sewer system. And when he told Sami this, she said, "You're kidding. Tell me you're kidding." But Ryou wasn't kidding. And she knew he wasn't. That made her not want to help even more.

"Sorry, Sam," he said sympathetically.

"Hmph," was all he got in reply, "I'm going to sleep." And with that, she proceeded to slump over in her chair. Ryou snorted, not believing she could actually fall asleep that quickly, but he couldn't wake her up. He looked at her dog. It glared back, and plopped onto the floor. This was going to be a long night, if Sami didn't wake up soon.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After getting to Algon and meeting with Yugi, Ryou learns they have one more problem before they can leave the desolate city: Finding Yami. Unfortunately, even though Sami agrees, Ryou knows she really doesn't want to stay. So, with the Mystic still out to kill them, can they find the old spirit and run before anything happens? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	9. Lost and found: Enter Yugi and Yami

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and I think he should make a spin-off where Ryou's the star.

The sleep hadn't been too long, and it was barely an hour before Ryou was shaking Sami lightly, trying to wake her from the horrible excuse for sleep she had gotten. He received two growls in response; one from her, and one from the dog. She opened one eye, and then shifted uncomfortably. Malik had gotten up some time during her sleep, and next to him was another blonde man, quite possibly his twin. Except that this man was smug, his hair was spiked, and there was a coldness Sami didn't entirely trust. But even so, she couldn't take her eyes off of his mane of hair. She had never seen anything like it. To her, such hair shouldn't defy gravity like that.

"Who is this?" she asked finally, forcing herself to look away. She looked at Malik, but he simply looked away, his mouth frowning firmly. Thankfully, the man in question decided to answer for Malik. He grinned at Sami, crossing his arms.

"I am Ishtar, the better half of Malik," Ishtar said, and when Sami gave him an odd look, he added, "I call myself Ishtar because I am half of Malik, literally. So, I deserve half of his name. Preferably the better half, which is certainly not Malik." Sami raised one amused brow. That might've been true enough, but she was quickly guessing that whomever she was dealing with, he was much like an overactive child. She glanced at Malik, and saw that he certainly didn't appreciate the introduction. He glared furiously at the man, and stamped a foot.

"Screw you, Ishtar!" Malik exclaimed. Sami's eyebrow rose further. Malik had never mentioned a brother before. Nor had he mentioned being related to a complete lunatic at all. But Ishtar simply grinned even further.

"I'd like to see you try that," he replied, and snorted when Malik finally lost it and lunged for him. He was prepared to send the boy into the ground, but then he felt an overwhelming chain of magic locking him in place. Sami held her hand up, looking at them both angrily. She obviously didn't want to hear them arguing, and personally, Ryou didn't blame her. They _were_ pressed for time, after all.

"Both of you stop it or I'll end it my way," she said harshly, "And trust me, that'll end in both of you being dead. Now then, what's so important that you had to wake me up!?" She looked at everyone as she asked this, for she didn't know whose idea it actually was to disturb her. Her gaze ended with Ryou. He was the one who physically woke her up. He shivered. Something about how she stared terrified him. It was like she was judging his soul with such a stare. As though she'd know if he decided to lie to her to save himself, which was something he faintly considered doing. He decided against it.

"Bakura and Ishtar normally don't have physical forms like this, and we thought you might be able to tell us why," Ryou answered honestly, "And because we'd thought you'd like to find Yami." That didn't lighten the woman's mood. She growled and forced herself out of the chair.

"Well, think again. I'd have preferred to sleep," she replied curtly, straightening her shirt, "But now that I'm up, let's just leave. As to your first question, I have no answer. So stop wasting my time and bring me to where Bakura had said this spirit was." Her voice was calm, but the undertone brought everyone to a sharp attention. Ryou led the way out of the room and down the stairs, toward the outside where night had successfully fallen. Dim stars twinkled unhappily in the black sky, and the smell of urine was strong now. Sami's dog whimpered and backed away as they turned the corner to the back of the building, where an open manhole sat. Sami peered down it for a second. Another sewer she'd have to go through. She could hardly contain her ecstasy at that.

"Should you use magic before we head down?" Ryou asked, and Sami shook her head as she inspected the hole. It was narrow enough for only one person to go down at a time. Standard for a sewer system, when she thought about it. But there was a new smell she hadn't recognized before. The air down there was stagnant. That was a very bad sign, both for her and for the spirits around them. No, magic definitely was no option.

"If I use magic here, there's a chance it'll backfire and ignite one of us. It's not worth the risk," she stated, and jumped down the hole into the darkness below. Ryou followed her, landing briskly on the floor. Yugi climbed down the ladder, landing with a soft thud as he let go of the last rung, and Malik fell through, crashing ungracefully in a pile of filth. Ishtar simply appeared on the sewer floor, crossing his arms and grinning smugly at his other half.

"Nice landing," he commented to Malik, who got up and dusted himself off in embarrassment, "Next time, try _not_ to be such a spastic mess." Malik twitched and threw a punch at the spirit, which missed entirely, not to anyone's surprise. No matter how physical his form was, Ishtar was still a spirit.

"I hate you!" he yelled, and Sami cut in again before he could try anything more.

"_Enough!_" she said sternly, and her voice cut across all other noises like a knife through butter, "Or do you really want to _die!?_" Malik shook his head vigorously, and Ishtar just snorted, looking away. To her, those were smart answers. She looked back to Ryou and asked, "Does Bakura know exactly where this friend of yours is?" Ryou hummed, and closed his eyes.

'_Sami wants to know if you know where Yami is,_' he said simply, surprised by how loud his thoughts suddenly seemed to be. Normally, their link was quiet and smooth. The air really must've been stagnant and lacking in energy for this to happen. Bakura stirred, appearing just slightly next to Ryou, and shook his head.

'_No. This accursed stagnation is jamming my power up,_' Bakura replied, irritated, '_How Ishtar manages to solidify is a mystery to me. I could try taking over again, if you want._' Ryou refused that, and opened his eyes. Yugi and Malik were watching eagerly, wondering what Bakura had to report. Sami just seemed to wonder how his mind actually seemed to work. She frowned when he shook his head at her.

"He doesn't know," Ryou said, and Sami's frown deepened, "The stale air's making it hard for him to concentrate." Sami sighed. She expected that, but there was always room for a tiny bit of hope. Now they'd have to wing it, and without a map of the city's underground, that'd take an annoyingly long amount of valuable time. But they had no choice in that. She doubted a map of this city existed anymore.

"Then we'll have to continue onward and work with whatever I might be able to sense," she replied grimly, tapping the hilt of her sword, "With my power, I should be able to sense magical energy even down here, and if he's a spirit, his body should give off something." But what she didn't say was that even she was having difficulty sensing things. And it was best she didn't. She led them down a tunnel, where mildew crept along the damp walls. They faintly heard water running farther ahead. Mold was prominent now, and Yugi managed to sneeze a few times in the process; everyone else kept their breath held for as long as they could before needing to breathe. Finally, the end of the tunnel dumped into a large chamber. And Ryou suddenly stopped. He heard something. Just barely, but he heard it.

"Ryou, what's wrong?" Yugi asked, slowing down when Ryou didn't move. Ryou gestured for him to come over, and as he did, Sami and Malik came as well, concern coming through their faces. Ishtar raised an interested brow, but decided not to intervene. It didn't technically concern him, anyway. The noise came back again.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered. Sami strained to hear a bit, but she couldn't hear anything. All she heard was the water rushing by.

"Ryou, I don't hear anything," she replied gently, but Malik shook his head quickly. Obviously, he could hear whatever Ryou was heading.

"No, I hear something as well," he stated, "Sounds like… crying? Is someone crying?" Ryou nodded, and Yugi listened next. He heard it again. And he recognized the voice. It was Yami, but he wasn't actually crying. He was calling for someone to help him. Relief flooded Yugi. Yami was all right… he hoped.

"Yami!" Yugi exclaimed, "My god, he's all right!" Before anyone could stop him, Yugi ran far ahead, far too quickly. Sami cursed angrily. That wasn't something she wanted to have to worry about, and taking the rod from Malik, she ran after him. Malik blinked, unable to believe she was that fast, but he grabbed Ryou and ran after her, with Ishtar taking up the rear. They didn't need to know that Yugi running off alone was a bad thing. The tunnel he ran down twisted, bent, and wound through large iron blockades, smaller pipes leaking water from the damage done to them. It was slippery, but they managed to clear it before finding Sami and Yugi outside of a large, iron door. Ryou had to stop so suddenly that he almost crashed into them.

"What's the hold-up?" Malik asked as he skidded to a halt. Sami looked at him, that grim expression crossing her face once more. Nothing good would come from her.

"Stagnation's coming from there," she stated, "But I don't know what it's from. And I don't like it." Malik shrugged. To him, the only way to know was to go inside. As he went for the knob on the door, Sami tried desperately to tell him to stop, but she wasn't fast or firm enough. The knob turned and the door swung open. The chamber was large, but what took up most of that chamber was a huge machine, rumbling gently as it worked. Steam issued out of it, and the acrid smell of staleness was much stronger than it had been before. This was definitely where the stagnancy was coming from.

"What the hell is it?" Malik asked, as they walked into the chamber, the machine looming high above them. Sami gave it a long look, examining every facet she could see. It was large, and black, though in the light, it was possibly gray. Turrets and holes dotted two strips that ran down it vertically, where the steam was pumped out. Through one big hole, she saw gears running underneath. Clearly, it was an ancient machine. Grime and dirt covered the bottom, which she didn't dare to touch. How long it'd been there, though, she couldn't begin to guess.

"A pump engine," she replied quietly, almost amazed with the hulking contraption, "Designed to distribute that steam, but it's clearly very old. I'm to guess it's what was used to supply energy before electricity was discovered, but it may very well be even older than that." Ryou was impressed. He wouldn't have necessarily been able to figure that much unless his father had been there with him. Malik just whistled, looking at the control panel beside the machine. It had buttons and levers all over, but without understanding how it worked, he didn't dare suggest touching them. Even Sami wouldn't know how they worked.

"Do you think it's what's causing the air to become so stale?" Ryou asked her. Sami crossed her arms, considering it. That was a very good possibility; the only thing that'd dissolve that solution was if more machines like that happened to be down here. And she hadn't heard anything.

"Definitely," she finally replied, her voice so certain that he didn't disbelieve her, "We need to shut it down. Regardless of if it's been tampered or simply shutting down from rot, it's going to kill the inhabitants and any wanderers who manage to come through if we don't." Ryou didn't disagree. The smell was horrible. But they didn't know how to shut it off, and Sami wasn't about to use magic to do it. Finally, Malik took action. He turned to the machine, and raised just one hand.

"Stop!" he said, with as much dignity and pride as he could. But the machine kept going, and he said more forcefully, "I command you to stop!" The machine ignored his request. Not that it could've obeyed, anyway. It was a machine. An old machine. But that didn't keep Malik from twitching.

"_I DEMAND THAT YOU STOP THIS INSTANT!_" he screamed, and only then, did Yugi come up and calm him down.

"Malik, stop. That's not going to work," he said, "This will." He walked right over to the panel at that point. Ryou didn't exactly know what a stupid idea should've looked like, but right then, Yugi pretty much explained it to him. He smashed every button he could, pulled anything that'd move, and pounded the panel as hard as he could. Sami watched in wide-eyed disbelief. She didn't care what part of Oblivion she was in; that would never have worked. Finally, the panel ignited, forcing Yugi to run away before he was lit. Sami barely snorted.

"Nice," she said sarcastically, "I'll be sure to attach a post-it to the body bag explaining just how you got yourself killed." Yugi frowned as Sami snorted again, but as she turned back to the machine, what happened next pretty much blew her mind. Ishtar actually kicked the machine. He knocked it so hard that it practically crumbled onto the floor in a heap of smoldering parts. Never in her life had she seen anyone be able to accomplish that.

"How on earth… did you _do_ that!?" she demanded, bewildered, "How… and why… who taught you this?" Ishtar merely grinned, crossing his arms triumphantly, and nodding.

"Didn't you ever watch Walker, Texas Ranger?" Ishtar asked, "That show teaches me everything!" Sami's eyebrow raised again. Clearly, she was having a hard time wrapping her head around that. She shook her head, walking to a door the machine was hiding.

"I don't want to know. It's better that I not know," she mumbled, her voice echoing slowly over the room, "I don't need to know why these idiots still idolize a moron like Chuck Norris." Ryou just snorted at first, but now he was just laughing. Her reaction was just too priceless. Malik just shook his head.

"Good job, moron. You broke whatever was left of her sanity," he growled to Ishtar, stalking after her. The door opened on rusted hinges and led to a cold, drafty corridor that went straight until it came to a single cell. Pitch-black shadow covered nearly all of the cell, but they could make out a single stone bench. On that bench sat Yami, arms crossed with one leg over the other. And he looked vaguely annoyed. There was no mistaking that he wasn't crying at all beforehand. Sami looked at him, and then over at Yugi. The similarities were amusing to her.

"Should I guess as to why he looks like you?" she asked, and then chuckled, "Anyway, it appears we've found him now. Can we leave?" Ryou just patted her back, but everyone else seemed to ignore her. Yugi ran to the bars as Malik unlocked the door, swinging it open. Yami stalked out, and patted Yugi on the head, smiling slyly.

"It's about time you got down here and found me, Yugi," he said in a surprisingly smooth voice. Yugi just nodded, and Ryou glanced at Sami. She seemed mildly infuriated that everyone ignored her, but she softened as Yami spoke. Inwardly, Ryou twitched. Yami had a bewitching effect on many people. Or an infuriating one, depending on who he was dealing with.

"How did you get down here?" Yugi asked him, as they all walked down the corridor, back to the room where the ruined machine sat. Yami just chuckled as he saw the smoldering pile. He could only guess as to what happened.

"As a being of magical substance, I felt a terrible disturbance. I wanted to investigate it," he replied, and Ryou saw Sami's look harden, "But it drained my energy and I couldn't move. I almost melted away… until just a few hours ago." Ryou blinked. Just a few hours ago was when Bakura had become a physical force as well. Ishtar had taken an actual form not even two hours ago. He glanced at Sami suspiciously, but she wasn't looking at him.

'_That's a correct assumption,_' Bakura stated, confirming Ryou's thoughts. Ryou frowned. Magic. Magic was causing all of this. _Sami_ was causing the magic that was causing this. And Sami was currently tapping her foot on the ground near the machine.

"This damned thing _was_ causing our power to be jammed," she said, and snorted, "Good thing we decimated it. Now we can get going and get back on track." Ryou blinked again. In all of the confusion, he actually forgot that he was here because Sami needed her things. And she already had them. No wonder she wanted to leave.

"What?" he asked, his mind slow from finding Yami. Sami raised her eyebrow a third time, and this time her lips twitched with annoyance.

"Katsaiga? The Mystic? Running away? Any of that even ring a bell?" she asked almost coldly, "Come on, Ryou. Enough fooling around." Ryou frowned. He hadn't forgotten, after all, but he certainly didn't like her tone. His friends were important to him.

"Hey, just because you have an agenda doesn't mean we didn't!" Malik exclaimed, when Ryou didn't speak. Sami's eyes narrowed. Ryou half expected a dagger to come flying toward them, but she didn't lift a finger. She turned around angrily. And at that moment, Ryou really would've preferred to be dead. Angering Sami was the last thing he wanted, because she was the only one capable of killing the Mystic.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, looking at his friends. Malik was already glaring at Sami, but Ryou did his best to explain. Or, explain what he understood of the situation. Unfortunately, Sami didn't offer any help with that. She was upset.

"So then what's happening _is_ true," Yami murmured, and then said, "I've sensed a bad feeling for some time now. If what you say is true, I insist I come along." At this, Sami turned around sharply. Her pupils had narrowed to mere slits. Ryou knew what might be coming soon: one sword and possibly a dead friend.

"Absolutely not!" she declared furiously, "Ryou, we will not be doing this!" But again, no one listened to her. They walked out of the room, Malik purposely ignoring her remark at that point. Her jaw just dropped, and angrily, she began to regret bringing Ryou with her. She was quickly taking a backseat on a journey _she_ had started _before she even met them_. It was a long moment before she stormed after them, and then through them without a word, taking the lead. Yugi bit his lip, knowing that they just angered her again. He glanced back, but Malik wasn't looking at her, and Ryou was talking with Malik.

"Now what can we do?" Malik asked him, as Sami silently led them through the tunnel and then onto the street. Ryou smiled, until he saw Sami's look. It was a quick glance, but he caught it. She was beyond just angry. She was outraged. He wanted to try calming her down, but she was too quick with the question.

"We go back to the room and you idiots rest," she grumbled, "I'm going to try cooling down before I actually strangle one of you, _Ryou_." Then, she stormed off again. They were close enough to the inn to not need her help. Ryou's frown deepened. He looked at Malik for help, but the boy just nodded and pointed his chin to where Sami left. Ryou took a deep breath and ran after her. He knew why she was getting mad. This was supposed to be _her_ adventure, and it was turning away from what she needed to do.

"Sami, wait!" he called, as she slammed the doors to the inn open. She turned sharply to him, her eyes cold and unyielding. In the dim light, with the wind blowing her hair around her, she looked like the pinnacle of evil. He actually shivered again.

"What is it now!?" she demanded, "We're not staying. I'm leaving and that's final. Tomorrow, if you want to stay, do it without me." Ryou winced. She was _pissed_.

"Sami, I'm sorry," he said gently, "I didn't know they'd want to come."

"But I did, and that's what I wanted to avoid," she retorted angrily, "And because you _live around here_, I helped you. And now it's costing me. I told you, Ryou. I told you not to waste my time, and that's what you're doing." Hearing it so plainly stung at him. Now he knew why he was afraid of her. Any minute she chose, she'd end his life. And now seemed like a good moment for her. If he had any hope of living, he'd have to find a way to calm her down. But how did one calm down a raging Chesier?

"Sami, please, just listen to me," he begged, "It'll be okay." Unfortunately, that wasn't the right thing to say. She laughed bitterly, shaking her head.

"You don't understand, do you?" she asked him, her voice surprisingly calm, "Ryou, this isn't about being okay. This is about our world. Mystics do _not_ belong here, among us. They're tyrants. They'll destroy this world if we don't do something. And I can do _nothing_ while your friends are here! Do you understand? Do you understand why I'm angry?" Ryou nodded. He understood perfectly. He knew what was going on, because he was obviously involved in some way. He had seen Sami use magic. He knew the danger of what could happen, either in taking too much time or in Sami turning against him. He'd be dead.

"I know," he said, trying to remain as calm as her, "Sami, trust us. We want to help you." Sami seemed to grow more rigid with that idea. Then, she simply turned and began up the stairs as everyone else walked in, looking up and wondering what was going on.

"If my trust costs me my life, then I hope you enjoy the rest of yours," she replied sternly, quietly, as she walked the rest of the way up the stairs. Something about how she implied that scared him nearly shitless. If she did die, he wondered what might happen then. But it wouldn't matter. Either way, personally, he was now screwed. Without greeting the others, he walked up the steps, trying to figure out just what to do with his new mess. No option looked relatively promising, except to just sleep on it. And that's what he intended as he thought of it.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After going through the sewers and finding Yami, Ryou now needs to deal with the fact that Sami's not liking how things are turning out. And if it keeps up, he might find himself short one life. How will he turn around her anger, and where will his friends need to head next? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	10. Regroupings and Strange dreams

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, they'd all be wearing swords and armor. Takahashi obviously saw the errors of this, because he didn't give anyone any armor.

Ryou had tried to sleep. That was one thing he reminded himself as he lay in his bed, awake. He _tried_ to get to sleep, but he couldn't. The events of the past day were wearing on him, and his mental stamina no longer seemed able to hold up. Sleep just wasn't possible, no matter how tired he was. Finally sitting up, Ryou looked out of the lone window that stood in his room, which was surprisingly empty. He had figured he'd be sharing, but fate saw otherwise. Which might've been just as well. It gave him some time to think. And he needed that.

Finally giving up the idea of sleep, he got out of bed. Everyone was most probably in bed by now, so Ryou simply tiptoed to his door, opening it as quietly as he could. He stepped into the dark hallway, and crept past one door. Sami was in there. Ryou stopped immediately; normally, he wouldn't have, but he felt something was wrong. Not because anything was, but it was an instinct. Curiously, he crept toward the door, and pressed an ear against it. It was silent, save for a faint rustle from a blanket, and the wind from outside. But the feeling didn't leave him. He frowned, considering just walking inside. Then he remembered, Sami was still pissed with him. He wondered, though, at why he was particularly worried about that…

That dream happened again, but this time, they weren't in a laboratory. This time, they were in an old, decrepit building that threatened to crumble beneath them. More people that Sami could recognize were there, but there were still many she couldn't place. Ryou and Yugi waved to her as they passed, but she didn't pay attention. There was only one person she wanted to find. The man from before, who had been gored by that monster. But he wasn't there. Sami found herself frowning. Where was he? He'd been in her dreams many times. Why wasn't he here now? As she looked toward the left, she saw him. He was standing on the edge of the broken roof, holding his gun in his hands. That's when _it_ appeared. A giant, one-eyed bat, with fangs dripping blood. It was going to kill him. Something always did. Sami ran, screaming, trying to help him, but he simply turned to her, smiling, before the roof collapsed. And he fell with it. Sami woke up to find herself screaming, "_NO!!_" Immediately, she heard a door click open, and Ryou burst in, eyes widened at the sound of her scream.

"What on earth… Bakura!?" Ryou exclaimed, looking to something on Sami's left. She immediately shoved her glasses onto her face, and saw the spirit in question. Hair ruffled, eyebrows raised, a bewildered look on his face; Bakura obviously had no idea just how he'd gotten there. He grinned nervously.

"Hello, guys," he said, chuckling, "Bad time?"

"What, in the many levels of hell, are you doing in my room?" Sami asked him, a mixture of controlled anger spilling into her voice, "Get out. Now." Bakura stood up, brushing the dust off of his shirt. Then he held up his hands.

"Relax, dear. I'm not here to scare you shitless," he replied, though that might've been a little too late, "I don't know how I got _in here_, so rest assured I'm as confused as you are. No need to draw that sword of yours." Ryou looked and saw that, unsurprisingly, Sami's hand flew to her sword, which was standing against the bedpost. He would've laughed, except that the threat was too real. Slowly, Sami relaxed her hand. He was right. There was no need to kill him right then. She leaned back, sending a cloud of dust spewing from the old mattress. Ryou couldn't see how she had slept with it like that.

"Then I insist you leave," she stated, and then added, "Or at least tell me what you need. I'm tired." Bakura just smiled at her, something that was so rare, it seemed to take all of the usual smugness out of the thief's face.

"Well, I _would_ like to know why I'm actually here," he told her, amusement sparking his voice, "But I doubt you can answer that." Ryou didn't particularly like that Bakura was assuming that Sami was unknowing, but she didn't seem to take offense. Her sly smile came back, her brows furrowing slightly, giving her a rather smug look herself. She crossed her arms, the movement sending more dust spilling from the old mattress.

"Actually, I can," she replied casually, "Not in exact details, but I'm under the guess that magic plays an amazing role. When we were in the castle, you could only come when Ryou was unconscious, true?" Bakura nodded.

"Yes. Nice observation," the thief commented, almost flirtingly. But Sami seemed to have ignored him. Ryou found he was glad of that. The last thing he needed was _Bakura_ making her angry.

"And, when we first came, you didn't comment, which I was surprised with," Sami continued, as though Bakura hadn't spoken, "Only when we've destroyed the machine have you appeared. It fits. We know for a fact that the machine was blocking our power." Bakura hummed, nodding slowly. Ryou guessed he wasn't making much sense of this. The only power he seemed remotely concerned for was his own shadow power. But when he spoke, clearly Ryou saw that he was evidently interested in other types of magic. Either that would help them, or he'd double-cross them with it later. Ryou didn't really know which was more likely.

"So then you _weren't_ full of complete bullshit when you talked to me earlier!" he finally exclaimed, and Ryou wanted to bash his head into a wall. If anything could offend Sami and end both of their lives, that was probably it. She had definitely taken offense, but she didn't go to her sword. Instead, she got out of bed, her wings stiffening. She was a good three inches smaller than Bakura; it was almost comical to see her so worked up.

"You think I'm lying," by her tone, Ryou guessed she didn't feel she needed to ask that. She _knew_ it. Which was just as well. Ryou remembered that Bakura said she was insane.

"Look, dear, I'm not saying I don't believe you," Bakura said calmly, "But honestly? I have never heard of Oblivion, or of Mystics. This is news to me." Sami's wings relaxed, but only just slightly. She turned around sharply. It was never a good sign when she didn't look at you as she spoke. Ryou wanted to pat her back, but he knew the movement might actually make her even more sour. He refrained.

"Rest assured, _spirit_, that this is as real as I am," she stated firmly, bitterly, "Now go back to bed, or wherever you consider to be your room." Bakura frowned, but he obeyed her. He left the room, silently closing the door. Ryou didn't follow him. He looked from the closed door, to Sami. She had relaxed further now that the old spirit was gone. Ryou just snorted. In his mind, _anyone_ would've calmed down at the thought of Bakura actually _leaving them alone_.

"Are you all right?" he finally asked, when the silence stretched past a minute, "I… I heard you scream. What happened? Can you sleep?" Sami turned slightly, and Ryou noticed that her skin looked nearly white in the moonlight. Something had clearly terrified her. She gave a weak smile, and sat down on the bed. Ryou's nose twitched as he smelled the dust wafting out of the mattress again. He almost wished she'd just sleep on the floor.

"I can, but I doubt I will," she replied calmly, "Just a nightmare. I'm sure I'll be fine once we leave. Tell me, we _will_ be ready tomorrow, right?" Ryou blinked, his eyes going wide again. A smile froze on his face. Which meant he didn't want to answer her. That was fine. Honestly, with a look like that, she didn't really want to know the answer. But, Ryou respected her. He answered her anyway.

"We should be, but Malik _might_ be a problem," he told her, "He's stubborn sometimes. He won't wake up unless it's fine for _him_." Sami just grinned awkwardly. Ryou could only guess what she felt about that. Then, she looked out the window, into the black sky.

"He won't be a problem. If he is, he won't be for long," she replied, and then laughed, "Anyway, Ryou, go back to bed. It's late. I'll see you in the morning." Ryou nodded, and left her alone. He didn't really want to, but he doubted either of them would've gotten any sleep if he stayed. He'd be too worried about her having a nightmare to sleep. He walked back into his quiet room, and saw Bakura sitting on the chair beside the window. He had opened it, and a soft breeze blew through. Ryou smiled as it rustled his hair, and climbed into bed. But he sighed heavily as he laid down. Bakura looked over at him.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" he asked, raising an amused brow. If he really wanted to know, he could find out his own way. But he had a feeling Ryou wanted to talk.

"I'm worried about Sami," Ryou replied slowly, quietly, "I don't think she's doing well, and I know she's mad at me."

"Kid, she's mad at all of us," Bakura stated, grinning as he looked out the window again, "Damn woman's pissed at everything right now. At you, at me, at Malik, hell, probably at the trees outside, too. Want me to look and see if she'll be okay?" Ryou thought about it. That might make him rest easier. But it might make Sami even worse. And at that rate, she'd die of a heart attack if her anger didn't subside soon. He shook his head.

"I think it's best to let her work it out," he mumbled, "I want to live through this, not die from it." Bakura just laughed, leaning over and ruffling the boy's hair. That earned him a discontented growl.

"I don't think she'd actually _kill_ you. Just harm you. A lot," Bakura joked, and then said, "I still think a little flirt here or there would keep her from going ballistic on you." Ryou growled, turning toward the wall as he wrapped the blankets around him. He didn't know her too well, but he knew _exactly_ how that'd play out. He'd die. There would be no time to explain that it was _Bakura's_ idea. She probably wouldn't have cared, either.

"Bakura," he mumbled, letting out a sigh, "Shut up." And, with that, he let himself fall into a deep sleep.

The nightmare was new to him, something he had never experienced in his life before. They were battling in a vast field, in the middle of a terrible storm. Ryou looked around. He recognized none of the faces he saw, save for one. Sami was there, sword drawn, a blue overcoat billowing in the damaging wind. Dirt and rocks were being swept up, creating a dangerous wall of debris around the swirling storm. Beside them both were many people, many Ryou had never seen before. One was a blue, lion-like creature with hair that rippled like water. Another was of a man who looked vaguely like Mr. T, but clearly was not. One was an elf in green, bow drawn as he knocked an arrow. Many faces, many creatures that Ryou didn't recognize. But what caught his attention was the blonde man next to Sami. His gun was drawn.

"They're coming," he told her, "Sith, we have to do something." At least, Ryou _thought_ he was talking to Sami. Who was Sith? To his surprise, Sami was the one to respond. She looked at him, her skin paling in the faint moonlight that shone on her.

"…who… who are you?" she asked him, voice quiet in what Ryou couldn't believe was fear. She was afraid! But why was she afraid of him? Who was that man?

"Sami, it's okay," he said, and she turned to face him, equally as surprised to see him too, "We'll destroy them, whoever they are." Sami blinked, and then nodded, turning to look ahead of them. Ryou grinned, and then noticed the man was glaring at him. Hatefully, too. Ryou gulped, wondering what he'd done wrong. The man snorted, turned away.

"We have to move," Sami stated grimly, "I can sense them. Many of them." The blonde man reached to touch her shoulder, but Ryou beat him to it. He patted her back comfortingly as the storm roared behind them. It had nearly drowned out her words.

"Sami, don't worry," he assured her, "I'm going to help you. I promise." That seemed to calm her down, but the blonde man beside her looked ready to lose it. She crouched for a second, and then leapt away in a flash. A monster came roaring to life, and Sami quickly cut it down. Ryou wanted to cheer, but the man's glare kept his gaze. Why was this man so angry with him?

"I hate you," the man said, eyes narrowing, "I hate you for what you're doing, Ryou." Ryou's eyes widened in terror. He didn't know this man, didn't know where in hell he'd come from, but his voice alone caused terror to run up and down Ryou's spine. And he _hated_ him! What on earth had Ryou done? Ryou's brows furrowed. Dream or not, he'd take this man down if he had to in order to help Sami. But, before he could, a huge tusk skewered the man, splattering blood everyone, all over Ryou. But the man didn't scream. His dying gaze, his one good eye, the other one scarred and burned shut, fell onto Sami, and then it closed. And Sami screamed. The same scream she had screamed when Ryou burst into her room earlier.

Ryou had woken up in a fright. Sweat, cold sweat rolled down his face as a cold breeze blew in from the window. He looked out of it. It was still dark; it couldn't have been later than five or six in the morning. But the time didn't matter. Ryou doubted he'd get back to sleep. That dream was too horrifying, too frightening. And it all felt too real. But it wasn't his dream. That much he knew of. He had never dreamt of those people, and he had never dreamt of a battle so devastating. But then… whose dream was it? Quietly, Ryou looked to the mirror in the wall. His skin was pure white, nearly as white as the hair on his head. He looked sick. And, in the reflection, he noticed Bakura was watching him, terror sketched all over the thief's face.

"Are you all right, Ryou!?" he asked, voice higher in pitch from alarm, "You were going to scream. What happened?" Ryou took several deep breaths, trying to control his pounding heart. Whatever that dream was, it had to have meant something. The blonde man especially scared him. When he regained control of himself, he told Bakura everything, with every little detail. The people he saw, and what the man had said to him, and of the monster, sending the man to his death in only a split second. Bakura listened to every detail, every fact, with utmost attentiveness.

"Bakura, it wasn't my dream," Ryou whispered when he finished, "I think it was Sami's. Should I tell her what I saw?" Bakura hummed gently as he turned the nightmare over in his mind. He had never encountered such a dream before. Truth to tell, it actually worried him that Ryou would see something like that.

"I don't know," he replied carefully, tapping his chin, "I wouldn't. If it was her dream, it might make her worry about you. She might want to know what it meant, and right now, we don't have that answer." Ryou nodded. Telling Sami wouldn't be best. The best thing was to get away from here, and get Sami back to what she originally wanted to do. Maybe if his life got in order, he'd figure it out later. Slowly, he climbed out of bed and shrugged into a new shirt.

"Is anyone else up?" he asked the old thief, lacing up his shoes next. Bakura actually snorted, rolling his eyes.

"That little bitch of yours probably is," he joked, referring to Sami, "At least, she probably is now." Ryou grumbled, opening the door and walking down the hall. He didn't blame Bakura for being mad. Sami did kick him out rather harshly. But he didn't need to call her names. He walked down the dark steps onto the first floor, and was surprised to find that, not only was Sami up, but Yugi, Malik, and the other two spirits were with her. She must've gotten everyone up already. All of them were dressed, some disgruntled, others eager to be on the move. She smiled slyly as Ryou descended the steps.

"Ah, I was just about to wake you up," she said casually, almost amused with the timing, "Did you sleep well?" There was something about the question that made Ryou wonder if Sami knew he hadn't. The tone felt a little off. He shook his head, deciding there was no reason to lie to her.

"No. But it was just a nightmare. No biggie," he replied, hoping to fool her with a smile. She nodded, but there was a look in her eyes as well that told him she didn't believe him. Before, he was too scared of the Mystic to pay attention, but now that he'd gotten decent sleep, he noticed she was, through no actual fault of her own, terrifying him as well. But if she didn't believe him, she didn't say it. She merely turned.

"If it continues, do tell me," she said cryptically, and then added, "I've spoken with Yami about what he was searching for before he went missing. There seems to be a way to get out of here, away from the blockage that Yugi had come through. If we can find that way, we can get out of here and get you all home." Malik stuffed what looked like a marshmallow in his mouth, watching her with a skeptical look that said he clearly wasn't sure he could trust her.

"And what's this way our pharaoh speaks of?" he asked, half to Yami, half to Sami. Yami just snorted with the sarcasm Malik was insisting on, but Sami actually seemed to take him seriously. That actually surprised him a little.

"It's more of a folklore than a way, but if Yami is right, and he found a trace of magic down there, then it's most likely coming from Mohraag Point," she explained, "That's a mountain directly behind this city, and legend has it there is a ship there that magic doesn't affect. If we find this ship, we can use it and fly you home. Unfortunately, Musuta, which is where my sister is currently, is closer. We're going to stop there and pick her up." Ryou didn't really like the idea of chasing a fairy tale, but Sami seemed to know what she was doing. So he didn't question her on it.

"Have you heard from her?" he asked her curiously. She nodded, and sat down on a step.

"Yes. She's been keeping information for me since I've been captured," she replied carefully, almost worriedly, "But not much has been happening. We're lucky. We should have more time than I'd thought if Katsaiga hasn't destroyed Musuta or Duran yet. I just hope she doesn't find out where _we_ are. That'd put me in a pretty painful situation." Ryou didn't need her to say just what might happen if the Mystic found them. He had a feeling he knew: at least someone would end up dead, and Sami couldn't promise it wouldn't be her. Or one of them.

"So then, why _are_ you after her if she's not doing anything?" Malik asked, as Ryou said, "We've nothing to do with it, do we?"

"Malik, I'd like to explain, but now's not the time," she replied calmly, a softness to her voice that made Ryou wince painfully, "The short version is that, if Mystics remain here, however slow their action is, there's a good chance you _will_ be enslaved by them. I'm trying to make sure that doesn't happen. As to if you all have anything to do with it, I'm still not sure. I doubt it's personal, but they seem to have targeted you and Ryou specifically. If not, then they'd have had many more humans imprisoned."

"You really think you could stop them alone?" Ishtar asked next, his arms crossed as he raised a disbelieving brow. Like Malik, he obviously didn't trust Sami's logic or reasoning in this. At least that was one thing they shared.

"I'm not alone," she replied, smiling, "I have many allies, including my sister and many of the Chesiers living in your world. Alone, I will break into her castle and lure her out. But fight her? No, that I can't accomplish without some aid." Ryou guessed that was why she'd brought him along. But she didn't say anything about their help whatsoever. Maybe she wasn't going to need them, after all. Bakura looked out a window for a minute, and then tapped Sami's arm. She looked up at him, and he grinned.

"As much as you amuse me, I want to know about the obstacle bothering us _now_," he told her, "Mainly, how're we getting into Mohraag Point?" Sami snorted, clearly amused with the tone of impatience he was developing. She stood up and stepped off of the stairs, joining him at the window.

"Passage isn't easy because of the cold weather," she replied calmly, pointing to a mountain in the far distance, "Wind may be a problem, and there may be water going upwards, but other than the standard obstacles weather could present, we should be relatively safe. But, I don't advise all of us go." Everyone stopped and stared at that point. Splitting up didn't seem like a particularly good idea to any one of them, save for Sami herself. Malik in particular didn't approve.

"Are you _seriously_ saying some of us aren't even going!?" he demanded, eye twitching in annoyance. Ryou glanced sideways at Sami. He half expected a sarcastic reply, but instead, she just shrugged, stuffing her hands in her pocket.

"Yes," she said simply, "And, in case you all were wondering, yes, I'm going." It was too bad no one was wondering about that. Ryou decided he was going as well. After all, by the way Sami had spoken earlier, he was possibly being targeted specifically. He wanted to stay as close to her as possible to be safe. However, both Yugi and Malik refused to go, because neither were particularly skilled at hiking. Which meant neither Ishtar nor Yami were going, either. That left only one person. And he was just as unhappy as Ryou was.

"…you all are assholes," he mumbled angrily, and stormed over to open the front door, "All right, Sam. Where's this stupid mountain?" Sami just gave him a flat stare as she moved toward him, the breeze coming through the door. She didn't answer, and Ryou wasn't sure she ever would. Silently, the three of them walked out of the inn, leaving their friends to watch them shrink into the horizon. It was an uncomfortable silence. Mainly because no one had ever heard of the legend Sami had told. They didn't know what to expect of it. Finally, when Yugi closed the front door, Ishtar glanced at Yami.

"They're doing the right thing, right?" he asked, and Yami was surprised at the concern in the spirit's voice. Normally, Ishtar didn't care about the danger anyone else was facing. Slowly, he nodded.

"I believe so," Yami replied, his voice growing dark, almost condescending, "If what Sami said about the Mystics is true, we're going to be screwed if they do find us. It's best to keep Ryou moving. And Sami might be the only one who could protect him if they show up." Ishtar hummed, looking out the window. He wasn't entire sure they could rely on Sami too much. He couldn't believe she was really that powerful. After all, she had been next to useless in the sewers. But, there was nothing he could do now. He could only wait for them to return. And hopefully, they'd return with a ship.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After getting some sleep, and learning a new legend, Ryou and Sami depart to see if they can find a way out of Algon before they're tailed. But is the legend real? Or was it really just a folklore? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	11. Divisions and The Mountain path

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he said that I still can't have the rights even if he does die. Also, the song sung in Algon is a remake of Duloc from Shrek.

Over an hour passed before Yami and Ishtar decided that staying in the hotel wasn't conducive to helping Sami out. By that time, the sun had risen, casting the city in an odd, orange haze. It must've been some time since sunlight hit the city. In just one night, the smell of urine nearly evaporated. But, unfortunately, it did nothing more. The scene was still bleak. Garbage still remained, and many buildings continued to sag and rot, even with the stale air diminished. Time would be no help here. Malik sighed as they walked down the steps of the inn, looking down one side of the street. Many old manors stood, some crippled, some still standing, and all of them abandoned. At one time, it looked beautiful. But that time had passed.

"Sam was right about those Mystics," he said, "The amount of damage done in just a little while is amazing. Can one person really do this!?"

"I doubt Katsaiga was working alone when this happened," Yami replied, as they began down the desolate street, the wind moaning behind them, "Sami doesn't know much, but she said she highly doubts Katsaiga was capable of this. She thinks someone else, someone far sinister was behind _this_ attack." Malik hummed, thinking on that. It made a little sense. Katsaiga had seemed almost sad when they first escaped. She hadn't _wanted_ to fight them. But that might've been a facade. He had learned enough from the past month to know that no one was clearly trustworthy. They continued as the road bent to the right. The street, which was once clear, slowly filled with animal droppings and garbage, sending off rancid fumes that made all of them want to retch. It truly was hard to believe that Sami had lived here at one time.

"Well, this is disgusting," Yami mumbled, covering his nose to shield himself from the smell. But it didn't help. Ishtar took a deep breath, and regretted it as he coughed and choked. Malik patted his back, and they entered into a small alley. Like the street, it was littered with feces and debris. But the enclosed space made the smell all the more potent.

"I actually envy the thief on this," Ishtar finally said, retching just slightly as he breathed in the fumes, "He gets to go to the mountain top and we have to breathe in this shit. And for what!?"

"Stop complaining," Yami sighed, carefully picking his way through a pile that took up the center of the alley, "It's not helping anyone right now." Ishtar grumbled, but obeyed. Yami was right. Besides, he had to save his rage for Bakura _later_, when he did come back. It was no use wasting his emotions on _peons_ like Malik, Yugi, and Yami. And, though he was tempted, as they stopped at a far wall blocking the end of the alley, to break down the single door, ultimately all that would do was hurt his fists. And he liked his fists. Yugi, who was farthest behind, glanced over his shoulder. He expected Malik to be walking alongside him, but as Yami and Ishtar spoke, Malik had disappeared.

"…guys, where is Malik?" he asked nervously. Ishtar, who was trying to twist the doorknob, stopped and looked to where Yugi was pointing. Malik was nowhere to be seen. The spirit sighed; what a time for Malik to go wandering off.

"Don't tell me the moron went missing," Ishtar groaned, shaking his head. But, from the looks of it, that was exactly what had happened. If Sami didn't kill _him_ for losing a friend, Ishtar was sure he'd be killing _Malik_ for making him worry. Yami looked from the door to the alleyway, and then to Ishtar again. The spirit looked really freaked out. Personally, Yami didn't blame him. Anytime Yugi went anywhere, he made himself sick with worry.

"He'll be back soon," Yami assured, but in the back of his mind, he knew there was a chance Malik was gone for good. Ishtar sighed again, and turned back to the door. Rather than worry too much for Malik, he decided that breaking the door was more important at the moment. Mainly because, at the very least, he knew Malik was alive. If the boy wasn't, he was dead, too. As Ishtar began to consider pounding the door, there was a soft rumble from behind them, popping him out of his thoughts. He turned, but saw nothing. The way they'd come was shrouded in black, obscuring what could've been there. Shrugging, he turned back and began pounding on the knob to break it off. The noise returned.

"Okay, who the hell is making that!?" Ishtar demanded, looking over his shoulder again. His eyes widened like a deer's when it's in the headlights. Which was pretty similar to what was unfolding. There, piercing the black gloom around the alley, was a set of two headlights. In the gray, Ishtar could barely make out a shining handlebar. Whatever that _thing_ was, it was making the rumbling noise. And, erratically, it charged forward, toward them. And, because Ishtar was too confused, he was frozen on the spot. And right in the path to his death.

"_GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY!_" Yami screamed, but his voice sounded distanced and muffled from the machine speeding toward him. Only when the old spirit knocked Ishtar down did reality come crashing onto them. The motorcycle crashed right into the wall behind them, and a figure flew off, landing in a pile of garbage. Yugi ran right over, terrified to see who had been hurt. It was Malik. How he managed to get onto a motorcycle so quickly wasn't known, but right then, no one cared. They were just happy to be alive.

"Okay, that was a stupid idea," Malik mumbled, getting up and shoving garbage off of his pants. He stalked out, unable to shake the feeling that he was incredibly dirty and needed a shower. Ishtar just snorted, shaking his head. He wasn't too surprised this happened; Malik had a knack for bad luck. It was like a small dog. It followed him no matter what obstacle was in the way.

"I just want to know where you found that bike, anyway," Ishtar said. Malik just shrugged. He simply found it in the middle of the street. And, he used it to break down the door Ishtar had previously entered. Having done that, they simply walked into the doorway, Yugi barely noticing a figure on the roof watching them for just a split second before disappearing. Because of the short time, he was sure it had been made up. So, he said nothing about it.

The inside of the store had been abandoned long before, and Ishtar was surprised it was still standing. Mold had grown along the walls, sometimes becoming so severe that it was black. Dust caked the walls in thick blankets, letting just tiny dots of sunlight into the room. Likewise, dust covered the floor, too. It smelled old, dilapidated, sickening. Whatever Ishtar felt they would find there, he was pretty sure they wouldn't now. From the rusted sign they had passed, it said this place was a bakery. Perhaps a bakery from hell, but not a bakery for human products. Even the over had grime on its top. Yami looked around for barely a moment before he knew they'd walked into a death trap.

"Whatever the hell you thought we were going to find, we're not finding it here," he commented pointedly, crossing his arms, "We're leaving." Ishtar ignored him. Normally, his instincts were right about places, and Ishtar was _certain_ they'd learn something here. Walking over to the stove, he opened up the door. Inside was a loaf of bread that had been so stale, it was a mixture of green and black. Ishtar had touched it, and screamed as he dropped it. Immediately, little crawling things scattered onto the floor.

"MAGGOTS!" he roared, and kicked the bread against the wall, "My Ra, we _are_ leaving!" Malik just snorted as the spirit ran to the door, pulling and pushing on them to open up and blow some air into this stagnant establishment. But it had long been molded over.

"I don't even think Sami knew the town was this bad," Malik commented, walking over to help Ishtar, "She seemed pretty disturbed by it. I wonder just what the hell happened here." No one answered. No one _knew_ the answer. Malik and Ishtar worked on wriggling the door loose, and eventually, it gave way and burst open. The sunlight was refreshing to see; only if you ignored the ruins of the city, however. The store front's view spanned along a row of piles of what used to be inns and department stores, their bricks and cement pieces scorched and crumbled to ash. It was like living in a giant junkyard. And it smelled terrible. Fresh air was doing no good for the place.

"Can those Mystics really do this?" Yugi asked, as they walked down the road, heading right back to the square, "Man, I hope Domino's not next." Yami just patted the boy's back as they entered the cobbled courtyard. In the daylight, they could see sprouts of grass trying to grow. That was a good sign for the time being. Malik grinned, walking to where the grass grew thickest. It was around a signboard with an electronic monitor. Below the monitor was a single button. Very suspicious.

"Let's see what this piece of shit does," Malik grumbled.

"Uh… Malik, maybe you should wait," Yugi suggested, but Malik ignored him. He pressed the button in. Everyone waited as the moment passed. Nothing had visibly happened, but slowly, so slowly, the screen seemed to open up to a diagram of what looked like a children's puppet theater. Little figures began to pop up, creepy smiles painted onto their plastic faces. Now Malik regretted pushing that button.

"Welcome to Algon, such a nice, little place. It's so neat and clean, it's our saving grace! Don't pollute, have some fun, and then go shop until you're done, because Algon is the perfect place. Please don't break any glass, or we'll kick your ass, because Algon is… Algon is… Algon is the perfect… PLACE!" the sign screamed as loudly as it could. Yugi and Malik were hugging each other, the voice scaring them with its volume alone. Then, as the screen closed up, a brilliant flash blinded everyone there. Distantly, Malik heard Ishtar scream in displeasure.

"Oh Ra!" he yelled angrily, "What sort of demon seed is that!?" He rubbed his eyes, and saw a blur of what he hoped was Malik reaching out to grab whatever flew out of the little slot underneath the button. It was a picture of all four of them, looking terrified as they stared at the screen. Underneath it read _Welcome to Algon!_

"That's cute," Malik mumbled, "So, this is a tourist booth. Too bad there's nothing to see." He tore up the picture and threw the little pieces on the ground, where they were quickly swept away by the wind. Yugi just laughed, and bounded toward the sign again.

"Let's do that again!" he exclaimed. If Ishtar hadn't been so fast, he'd have ended up pushing that blasted button again. But, Ishtar was just that fast. He grabbed Yugi, who struggled against the spirit's strong grasp. But he couldn't escape. Which was good, because Ishtar would've banished him if he pressed the button again.

"Do it and not even Sami will save you," he growled, putting the small boy down. Yugi heeded his words as Malik and Yami walked down another road. He found no need to piss _everyone_ off. At least, not just yet.

---

The trip out of the city had been taxing, but any complaints that had been made had dissolved when they looked up at the looming mountain before them. Sami had warned them of the possibility of hiking, but the mountain seemed starkly unrealistic amidst Algon. And the crags of the mountain were sharp, the paths around it steep and unyielding. This would be a nightmare to climb. Sami had already started up, and not wanting to be left behind, Ryou followed, using the rope she left to aid them for when they decided to follow, if they did. Even with the rope, the task was too daunting for normal human standards. Then again, Sami wasn't human. This was probably nothing for her.

"How the hell can she _climb_ this!?" Bakura asked, his voice echoing harshly off of the crystalline rocks and bouncing around the air, "What is she, half cat!?" Ryou wanted to give him a flat look. Technically, Sami looked the part. But, he was afraid of falling, so Ryou didn't dare to look down. He didn't need to be disoriented.

"Most probably," he mumbled, climbing farther up again. It was getting cold, and the frigid clouds were producing tufts of snow that gracefully floated to the ground far below. He had to get up before he froze to death. And that was too big a possibility up there. Bakura just huffed.

"Why can't she find this stupid ship herself!?" the old thief demanded. He yelped when a sharp hand dragged the rope up quickly. Sami had pulled them the rest of the way. Ryou would've been thankful, but she looked pissed again.

"I _could_ drop you both, you know," she stated, "Now stop complaining." Ryou chuckled. She didn't sound mad, but she had been firm. There was no gentleness to her tone whatsoever. And it was driving Bakura insane.

"Excuse us for never having scaled a damn cliff before!" Bakura snapped, and Sami turned back to him. Her glare was cold. Obviously, babysitting them wasn't something she liked to do on her own time.

"Them perhaps I should have used _you_ for the rope," she stated flatly, "Or perhaps a fire would suit you more." Bakura didn't know what to say to that. If she was threatening to transform him into something, she must have had that power. And he didn't want to test them. She turned away again and walked down a short path that led to a cavern entrance against the wall of a cliff. Ryou took that moment to smack Bakura over the head.

"Ow! What the fuck!?" Bakura demanded, rubbing his now-bruised head. Ryou stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"You're an idiot," Ryou simply replied, and stalked in after Sami. The cavern was narrow at first, permitting just one person at a time, but eventually it narrowed until it opened up to a large chamber, the glow from the nearby crystals illuminating the walls in magnificent glows of red, purple, green, and blue. If there was any magic to be salvaged in his world, here would be it.

Sami sat at the edge of the cliff path that spiraled down into the bottom of the cave, where a large lake sat, its water a deep blue. The emerald crystal beside her gave her skin a sickly green tint, and she sat with her back toward the entrance, looking deep into the lake. Ryou walked toward her quietly, and sat down, wondering what she was staring at. She looked like she was focusing on both nothing and everything at the same time.

"…a long time ago, I'd highly doubt I've have ever thought to look here," she murmured, and when she noticed Ryou was with her, she said, "Ryou, tell me. What do you think of when you look in this cavern?" Ryou blinked for a moment, remaining silent. The first word he could think was 'beautiful,' but he didn't think that was the answer she was looking for. He looked back into the water. It rippled as a large fish surfaced, its scales shimmering as the crystal light reflected off of it.

"That's a beautiful fish," he commented quietly. Sami nodded, her sly smile appearing across her face.

"They're called Amphoras," she explained, "A magical race of fish, I believe. At the very least, their scales contain a number of poisons that, when neutralized, can be ground and used in many antidotal mixtures sold around the world." Ryou wasn't sure how magical that was; many poisons were used when synthesized. But he didn't question her on their magical ability. She'd know more than he would about magic, anyway.

"Do they attack?" he asked. She snorted, and shook her head.

"No. They're gentle," she replied, her wings ruffling as a breeze wafted through the cave, "They're known to share wisdom, and they're the best story-tellers." Ryou's eyes widened, and he looked at her quizzically. Fish normally didn't talk, and by the way she spoke, she must've felt that was normal.

"They talked?" he whispered. Sami glanced at him, and chuckled at his expression. He was awe-inspired by what she said. But even magic had its limitations.

"No. Not with words, anyway," Sami explained, "Creatures many times do not physically talk. Rather, they rely on telepathy and the abilities of another person to relay their messages. Which explains why many people don't assume animals talk." Ryou snorted. She was implying humans knew nothing about magic. But, considering how little it was spoken about anywhere, she might've been warranted in that.

"What are the stories about?" he asked her, as the fish down below gave a small howl that reverberated off of the walls, sounding lower and more somber than he thought was possible.

"Past events that have happened, that people no longer remember," she replied calmly, almost sadly, "And sometimes, they make predictions. I made the mistake of asking, years ago, if there was a reason the Mystics had come." Ryou glanced sideways at her. He didn't often believe in predictions, but Sami sounded unusually grim about this one. And, judging by the fact that a Mystic was currently chasing them, it might very well have been right..

"And what did they answer?"

"…that the past is the key to the present," she replied, and something about the way she said it made Ryou wonder if she believed it, "But I'm unsure of what that means. There are no records in this world about Mystics. At least, none _here_."

"You think there are some in another country?" Ryou asked, moving back just a bit in amazement. He wanted to know just how much of this Sami actually looked into, and how much she understood. Maybe _she_ really was the key to saving his world, however subtle the threat had been before. Sami nodded, frowning slowly.

"My sister… suggested I look in Egypt for the answer," she replied slowly, "She says that if any one place would have a record of a war so far back, it would be Egypt. All I know is that, long ago, there was a war that had spilled from one world into this one. It affected Egypt badly, but no one knows how it ended or what had happened." A war… Ryou frowned. A war is what he dreamt about the previous night, a war that had spilled from another world. Then, the image of the blonde man came into his head. Blonde hair spilling over a pale face, a huge scar closing off one eye, his good eye glaring hatred at Ryou. A hatred Ryou didn't know the reason for existing.

"…Sami?" he asked suddenly, deciding that she might actually know who the man was. She turned to him, and her frown softened when she saw how nervous he had become. Something was scaring him, something she couldn't see or sense.

"Ryou?"

"…I had a dream about you. I mean, you were _in_ it, anyway," he began, and Sami merely tilted her head, "There were all these people there, people I don't know. And we were running from something. Mystics, I think… and there was this man." Sami's eyes hardened, her face becoming grim again, dark in the pulsing light. Ryou realized that, indeed, she had been having the same nightmares.

"Was he blonde?" she asked pensively, and when Ryou nodded, she continued, "Pale-skinned? Scar on his face?" Ryou nodded again. This time, Sami's skin went white. She _must_ know who this man had been.

"Who is he!?" Ryou asked, exasperation coloring his voice, "He said he hated me! I don't know why! Sami, please, tell me!"

"I have no idea," she replied, and this began to frustrate Ryou, "I should know him, but I don't. Ryou, I believe he may be someone from my past, a distant past I know nothing of." Ryou was sure she knew who that man had been. Now, he wasn't sure. Sami let the subject drop at that, and looked once more into the water. Now, she found whatever she had been looking for. She tugged Ryou's arm, and at first, he didn't respond. He was confused, and most of all, disappointed. He wanted some answers about his nightmare. But if Sami didn't know, she just didn't know. It wasn't her fault, either. He finally turned. And he saw it as well. A large, somewhat oval shape, with pointed ends, sat in the water.

"What is it?" he asked, gesturing for Bakura, who'd been hiding in the shadows near the back. The old thief ran over, and all three of them peered down. It was deep under the glassy surface. Sami was sure it had to be on the floor of the lake itself.

"The ship!" she exclaimed, breathless, "It… it exists." At first, she sounded excited, but now, she sounded troubled. Ryou wondered what could've been wrong. He thought she _wanted_ to find the ship. Then, he realized that if she did, it proved that what was going on, was very real. And she _had_ to stop it now. Ryou let out a deep breath. But, without warning, Sami jumped and dove right into the inky water. Ryou heard a mighty crash as she shattered the surface of the lake, and cried out in horror at what she did. He had no time to react. Bakura grabbed his wrist and jumped after her. They plunged into the frigid water, Ryou knowing his skin was turning blue from it. It was too cold, and he was a terrible swimmer. They swam deeper and deeper, Sami still quite far ahead, unlatching a circular door on the ship's bottom. Bakura swam to her, not noticing how limp Ryou was becoming. Only when she opened the door, and they swam into the warm, dry interior, did Bakura realize the damage done. Ryou didn't stir as he placed the boy on the floor of the ship. And his skin was white with cold. Bakura felt terrible. He, of the three of them, should've been more careful.

"Ryou!" Bakura exclaimed, and turned to Sami, "Please, dear, tell me he's not dead!" Sami looked at him with grave concern, doing her best to pump the water out of Ryou's stomach, hoping air was reaching into his lungs. Only when he took a full breath, returning color to his pale skin, did she breathe in relief and lie back, her head leaning against the wall.

"His condition is severe," she said calmly, "But he is recovering. I can use magic, but it won't mend the internal damage. Bakura… we need to wait. Only time will tell if he'll be okay." Bakura winced at the worried tone to her voice. It sounded so unnatural. Ryou really _was_ close to entering death's door. The old thief sighed. They had no choice now. Ryou _had_ to rest. And he _had_ to recover. Bakura wouldn't allow any other outcome.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After climbing up Mohraag Point, Ryou and Sami have uncovered the ancient ship, proving that the danger in his world is real, and was bound to happen. But, they still have no answers, and now Ryou is in danger of dying. Will he recover? _Can _he recover? And what of Yugi and Malik, who are waiting in Algon? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	12. The Bards Three: Derek, Eric, and Jimmy

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and not even $10,000,000 will put me in his will.

After searching the road, and finding nothing but ruin after ruin of what had once been a lovely, little town, Ishtar began leading his weary team right back to the inn. He _wanted_ to keep looking, but they only had so much stamina. He couldn't bring himself to push them, especially since he himself refused to do anything more. They tramped up the stone steps of the inn, heading back into the warm, comforting common room of the first floor. Immediately, he slunk into the soft, leather couch, ignoring the clouds of dust that puffed out of the cushions under his weight.

"We need to leave," Malik said, taking a seat next to the fireplace, where a roaring fire sat, "As soon as Ryou and Sam get back, we're out of here." No one particularly objected. There was nothing in this city for them to use. Yami just sighed heavily, nodding as he looked out of the window, into the sky as clouds began to roll in again. The sunlight was short-lived.

"But where can we head after this?" the old spirit asked, almost distantly as he looked from the cloudy sky to the patch of dirt that used to be a beautiful garden. Already, green grass was beginning to sprout again. Hope hadn't deserted the town, at least.

"Musuta? Duran? Who knows?" Malik replied, naming the only cities Sami had mentioned, "It really depends on where Katsaiga has already been. There's no doubt Sami's going to want to see the path of destruction that crazy psychopath created." Again, no one disagreed. Silence passed as they each thought on that. Finally, Ishtar shifted, and got off of the couch. He clapped his hands, ridding them of dust.

"All right, then I think we'd better do what we can to make this easier for her," he said, surprising Malik with his generosity, "Let's scour this place and look for everything we can use. No pillow left unchecked, no cabinet left unopened. We search and sort through every piece of shit here until we have _something_, or until we know _nothing_ can be used." The authority in his voice was unreal! Malik had never heard him command a situation so effectively, and yet, something about his words had a profound effect on the room. In particular, Yugi was motivated.

"Good plan! I'll go get the pillows and blankets!" he exclaimed, and rushed up the stairs. Yami just grinned approvingly, turning from the window. He placed his hands on his hips, raising an amused brow.

"Nice work, Ishtar. No one can keep that kid focused," he commented, "I'll go and search the bathrooms. Any medicine would be good right now." Ishtar just waved him away as he went upstairs, heading down a hall to the left. Malik bit his lip. That left him with either food, or other equipment. And, he had no use for sorting through rotten garbage.

"I'll look for batteries, flashlights, knives, nails, anything we could use that would help us out later," he said. Ishtar patted him on the back, and he ran toward a back room. That left the spirit to look for food. He left to go into the kitchen, and what he saw floored him. The kitchen looked nice, but there was a smell that was sickeningly sweet, that was in no way food. And he didn't like it. His chances of finding anything edible was grim. He walked to the nearest cabinet, and found with unsurprised disgust that he might be right. There were glasses, brown with filth as black spots developed on their outsides. He shut the cabinet and went to the next. Dishes occupied this one, dusty and full of cobwebs. He took one out and went to the sink. The faucet didn't even work. Sighing, he let the plate drop. Next, he moved to the last cabinet. Boxes sat, holes punctuating all sides and the top. Some had green mold growing along the lining. Ishtar didn't need to look to know nothing in there was of use. Finally, he rested on the refrigerator. If he was to find any food, it would be in there. He opened it up, and was immediately assaulted with the smell of rot. There was no surprise. The power didn't appear to work. Slamming the door, he stormed out back into the common room, where the other three stood, waiting, each with a pile of objects next to them.

"Tell me what luck you had," he demanded grimly, crossing his arms as he sunk into a chair. Yugi untied the bundle he provided; four blankets and six pillows rolled out. Ishtar smiled as Malik opened a box to reveal three knives, one flashlight, a medical kit, and a pack of batteries. Again, a good find. But Yami had nothing. Ishtar couldn't be startled by that. If there _were_ any liquid medicine, it'd have been long expired at that point. He just patted the older spirit on the head.

"It's a nice reconnaissance despite that, pharaoh," he assured, "You guys found more than I expected here." Yami just smiled weakly. He didn't always like patronage, but Ishtar was trying to be nice. In this situation, there wasn't much use beating himself up.

"Did you find anything?" he asked the blonde spirit, who shook his head and sighed.

"Everything was spoiled. I wouldn't be surprised if I get sick just being inside the damn room," Ishtar replied. Yami just hummed. That left a problem with food. He turned to Yugi, but the boy was focused on something else at the moment. He turned back to Yami with a quizzical expression.

"Um… if everything's rotten, what's with the pie?" Yugi asked, and both Ishtar and Yami turned around to stare at the table Yugi pointed to. There, a pie sat, steam pouring off of it as a rich aroma wafted through the room. Their stomachs growled; it'd been days since any of them ate a thing. But there was a problem…

"I didn't find that," Ishtar stated, frowning, "And none of you did, either." Malik blinked. That was true, but it was a _fresh, warm pie_. Would they be fools to ignore it?

"You think it's a trap?" he asked Ishtar. The spirit just looked at the pie. Physically, nothing was wrong with it. But that meant absolutely nothing. There could be any number of poisons in the filling.

"Yes," he replied, "It's suspicious enough." Yugi just sighed, his stomach roaring with hunger. He _wanted_ that pie, but Ishtar wasn't wrong, either. He stepped toward it slowly, until a rustle from behind made him yelp. Immediately, Ishtar turned, brandishing the Millennium Rod.

"Who is there?" he demanded hoarsely, letting a jet of shadow power loose as it slammed into the sofa, where the noise came from. Stuffing exploded from the once-useful piece of furniture, and three shrieks pierced the room. Yami tilted his head as three men came tumbling out. There was no word to accurately describe their ridiculous, bright attire, but 'bard' came through their heads as they tried to find one. The men were dressed in golden and orange robes; only their different-colored hats proved any physical differences between them. They had to be triplets.

"Who are you!?" Yami demanded, equally as harshly as Ishtar had been. From behind, he heard Yugi come up behind him too. Which was what he wanted to avoid. He wanted Yugi to be safe.

"And did you leave this pie?" the boy added, and Yami's neck snapped to stare at Yugi in disbelief. Of all the things to question, the pie was the least of their worries. But, he also knew Yugi was starving. That pie _had_ to be a trap. The men laughed merrily.

"Why, young lad, don't think to flee! We came to sing songs to thee!" he cheered happily, "For we are the Bards Three, Eric, Derek, and Jimmy D.!" Yami had no idea what to think of them, but insane and retarded both seemed to fit the bill. The second nodded in agreement, so at least they seemed to have agreed on a lie, if they were truly thieves.

"We traverse the world, singing merry tales! For coin or for fame, or even for ales!" sang the third, and Ishtar stared, wide eyed, "We mean you no harm, for we came here to see, just if there were any humans who were as alive as me!" Yami's eyes narrowed, as they continued to listen to the three singing ridiculous verses to songs that they obviously were making up. He was in no mood for such merriment. Mainly because he hadn't seen them around at all since he'd been there. They had to be bad guys.

"What are you doing in this inn, and why don't you just leave?" he asked defensively. The hint of a threat was palpable, and the three bards stopped singing, their eyes widened. Obviously, they now knew this was no joke

"Forgive us, o good sir, for we meant no ill will," said the first bard, "We were just sent here to kill… kill…"

"Kill some time!" finished the second bard, and the other two bards glanced at him, "You see, we bards love to explore as much as the next spelunker! This fair town seemed a natural ruin point just waiting to be plundered! I mean, discovered!" The glances alone alerted Yugi and Malik that these men, however mentally challenged, weren't here to help them. They were up to something, but neither boy could connect the dots just yet.

"There's nothing here, morons," Malik said simply, "The place is in ruins." He didn't really feel he needed to say that, but he had a weird idea that the bards hadn't actually noticed that. Yugi, however, didn't seem to care about anything except for the pie, which was still unclaimed.

"And you still didn't answer me about the pie!" he exclaimed angrily, "Did you leave it?" Yami wanted to smack him over the head for that. The pie was of no importance anymore, but Yugi just wouldn't let it go. One of the bards, impossible to tell which one, just laughed and nodded his head.

"Why, yes we did!" he replied merrily, making Yami wince, "It was but a gift for you fellow adventurers! A way to say "Tally-ho, brothers!" Yugi nodded, taking that as an approval to eat it. He ran to grab it, but again, Ishtar stopped him. He just sighed in defeat as Ishtar glared at the three bards. He didn't believe a word of what came dribbling out of their mouths.

"What flavor is it?" he asked them warily. Their hesitancy only made him all the more suspicious. And, their answers made it glaringly obvious this was a trap.

"Apple!"

"No, no, it's cherry!"

"No, my brothers! I'm quite certain that it's blueberry!" Ishtar didn't entirely know how modern cons worked, but he knew this was one of them. He just snorted as one finally said, "It's a mix of all three! And now, my friends, we must flee! For, as we've been hired to act as the Great Thieves Three!" And, with that, the three bards ran out of the inn. Malik just blinked. That settled it. He _wasn't_ going to eat the pie. Unfortunately, Yugi wasn't nearly as con-savvy. He shrugged, grinning as he turned to finally focus on the pie once more.

"Well, their answer is good enough for me!" he concluded, and took one knife to cut a slice. Immediately, the room became a sticky mess. It _had_ been a trap. And Yugi had set it off. There was no surprise there, either.

---

The wait was painful for them. Ryou hadn't shown many signs of improvement, and it was all Sami could do not to proclaim him dead. Bakura kept her distracted with questions, most of them centering around Mystics, and what they were doing in his world. And Sami, though hesitant, explained all she knew. It was a very good amount; not only did she know _who_ the Mystic was, but she seemed to know _what_ this Mystic wanted, and why. What scared Bakura was that she wasn't the only Mystic. There were many more. And the thought of facing them all was unwelcome by both of them.

"So, by what you say, you believe something happened in the past that caused them to come back and terrorize us _now_?" he asked her, skeptical of the theory. He had been around for millennia. He had never heard such a thing. Or, perhaps he couldn't remember. His past seemed foggy at some patches. Sami just nodded, her eyes looking at the floor.

"There's no way to prove it currently, but my sister has found evidence of it," she replied slowly, almost cautiously, "And from what she says, I do believe her. I can't see why they would choose _this world_ for capture. Aside from your Millennium Items, I see no point. There aren't enough magical races in this world to warrant it." Bakura hummed. That was true enough. In the past, Espers had once lived here. But, they had disappeared some time ago. So then, what was the deal _now_?

"You're surprised," he stated, smirking, "You expected her to find another place in… what was it? Oblivion?" Sami just chuckled. He was mocking her, but she didn't care much. Whether he actually believed her or not was unimportant.

"Actually, I'm not sure I expected a thing," she told him, "Somehow, they seem to think I have any involvement in the past. And, I very well might have, but I certainly have no memory of it. What truly concerns me is the fact that they got hold of Ryou and Malik. That makes little sense." Bakura could see what she was getting at. But, before she could continue, Ryou began to stir. Both looked down at the boy's silent form, and slowly, he opened an eye. It swiveled to look around the entire hall, where they sat.

"Where… are we?" he asked softly, trying to slow his breathing. His body was reacting as though he'd gone through a torture chamber, but he noticed there wasn't much pain in moving. Sami helped him to sit up, her wet hair dripping as she did. She couldn't have been waiting for more than a few moments, an hour at the most. Or perhaps two. Time seemed to warp itself in Ryou's head.

"We're inside of the ancient ship," she stated gently, patting his back, "And, we may have a problem. Bakura?" Bakura just grinned. He liked being in the spotlight for once. He tapped the Millennium Ring.

"Some bastard's here with us," he explained, his voice grimmer than his face was, "The ring reacted for a split second. It might've been something else, but I'd advise some caution." Sami didn't argue, so Ryou assumed she agreed. She stood up, and with him, they walked down the hall. Water dripped, echoing loudly, but it masked their footsteps. It took only a minute before the woman halted.

"Sami?" Ryou asked curiously, as she opened the door she stopped in front of. It swung open silently.

"She's probably going to steal shit," Bakura joked, and gave the thumbs up, "My kind of woman, baby!" Sami ignored him as she walked inside. The room was dim, and she used her blade as a conductor for light. Shelves of books lined the three walls, the fourth being home to a giant portrait of an old sailor. That intrigued her. Stepping further, she came to a small table. And, atop that table was a single long, thing sword. Silver in color, the hilt was a deep sapphire, with a ruby inset. It was a beautiful piece. Ryou walked in to examine it closer. It had to be worth quite a bit of money.

"Crafted with Esper magic," she whispered carefully, "This blade is easily over three thousand years of age." Ryou's eyes widened. It _had_ to be worth millions! But, Sami didn't appear interested in selling it. Or using it, for that matter. She handed it to Ryou quickly, so quickly that he wondered if she knew what she was doing. He took it, and mock-swung it over his head. It flied easily, and it felt light. It was the perfect blade for _him_.

"What was that!?" Bakura asked, mortified. He had never seen Ryou wield any weapon, let alone a sword. Sami just grinned, patted Ryou on the back. He looked just as terrified as Bakura was.

"That sword decided that you're the next wielder," she replied, almost proudly, "Ryou, Esper weapons are rarely used by humans. In fact, I can't think of any in history to have been recorded as such. Be proud and wield it with vigor." Ryou just nodded. What had once been fear evaporated into excitement with Sami's words. She was _happy_ he could use it!

"It's… it's so powerful," he whispered, and then his fear began to return, "What if I hurt someone with it?" Sami's smile seemed so strong, and so confident. She must not have felt he would've done such a thing.

"I doubt you would unless you wish to," she said, "Magic works in different ways. That blade will follow your command. I suggest you learn to use it before we get into trouble." Ryou didn't like the implication, but if anyone knew how to use a sword, it'd be Sami. She carried one herself, and he saw her use it once before. She had displayed great skill despite her age. After he clipped the sword onto his belt, they left the room and continued down the hall. All fell silent as they came to the end, where a single door stood. Sami stopped once more.

"What's wrong?" he whispered. She glanced back at him. There was nervousness to her eyes.

"Someone… is in there," she whispered, worriedly, "On my guard, both of you!" Neither Bakura nor Ryou protested. Sami tiptoed to the door, and slid it open. From the doorway, it looked empty. She stepped in. Then, she gasped.

"Sami?" Ryou asked, as he and Bakura rushed in. There stood a man, taller than all of them, with blonde hair reaching down his neck. His skin was nearly white, that hideous scar covering his eye, his good one looking at them with a mixture of surprise… and anger. Ryou knew him now. The same man from before, in his nightmare. The man who wanted him dead. His good eye went from Ryou, to Sami.

"You…" she said, "Who… who are you?" The man didn't answer her. He stood there, still as stone, his hands in his coat pocket. Bakura's eyes narrowed as he took out a dagger.

"Tell us before we kill you," he warned, but Sami raised her hand to silence him. Violence wasn't the way she wanted to handle this. Not with him.

"Please," she said calmly, "I beg of you. Tell me who you are." The man's mouth turned up, just a fraction. It was so slight, Ryou couldn't tell if it even actually happened. His expression softened at Sami's words.

"…you don't remember me," he stated. Sami nodded, and he looked to the side, letting out a sigh. "I came here to bring you this ship." That wasn't enough for any of them. She stepped forward.

"Why are you helping us?" she asked him. His smile grew more apparent.

"Because I want to," he told her, "And what I want, I get. Or do, depending on if my want is an action." That still wasn't enough. It didn't explain who he was at all. Sami tilted her head carefully.

"At least give me your name," she demanded, but he shook his head. An odd laugh escaped his lips. Now, she was getting frustrated. Whoever this man was, he was laughing _at her_.

"Sorry, but I'm not sure… you would like it," he replied. Sami's eyes narrowed behind her red lenses. She drew her sword, an action that caused a slight wind to brush across them all. Ryou shivered. If this man had any want to live, he had to be more cooperative.

"Then I will kill you," she told him furiously, "I won't allow you to stand in my way." Another chuckle. Sith's sword rose up a fraction.

"Go ahead. My life doesn't mean much in this world," he stated, "Just know that, I was no part of Katsaiga. I'm on your side. I stole this ship to help you. Would you really take my life for that?" Sami hesitated. How on earth did this man know Katsaiga? For that matter, how did he know _her_? She sheathed her sword. This was getting her nowhere.

"Man, please tell me what you want with me," she said calmly, "I… I will let you live. Just tell me who you are and why you appear in my sleep." The man smiled. But there was no happiness in his face. He was sad about something.

"I'm sorry," he said, and proceeded to go to the door. Ryou turned and watched him leave, but as he crossed the doorway, he whispered, "Sith." Ryou wondered what that meant. Again, like their dreams, he called Sami by that name. Ryou wasn't sure if she heard, but her ears stiffened back. She had heard the man. Bakura put a hand on her shoulder to find she was shaking.

"Will you be all right?" he asked her. She shook her head, walking to the wheel that controlled the ship.

"I doubt it, but…" her head hung, "I must know who he is."

"Well, you said you didn't remember who you were. Maybe he's from your past," Bakura reasoned, "Maybe he's from another part of Oblivion, like you talk about!" Sami just chuckled. This didn't amuse her, but Bakura wasn't trying to be funny. He was trying to help. And, he might've been right. After all, she had no ideas.

"Perhaps. I'll get answers later," she said, "For now, let's return. We have the ship. Now we can leave Algon." Ryou nodded, and listened as Sami started the engine. It roared to life, and soon, he felt a jerk as it began to move. Slowly, so slowly, it rumbled out of the water, up into the air, leaving through a narrow passage within the large cavern's top. The sky opened up to them. They were going to be back shortly. As they hovered over the top of the range, Sami doing her best to figure out the control, she looked down and saw the man from before, on the summit. He was watching her. He was always watching her.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

With ship in hand, Sami leads Ryou and Bakura back to Algon to pick up their friends and continue on. But, with the appearance of that mysterious man, another problem arises from this journey. And Sami wants to figure it out. Who is he, and why is he helping them? Will they encounter him again, or was he an apparition? Will Domino be standing when they arrive there? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	13. Free moments and better times

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does. I wish he didn't, because I'm running out of witty things to say in the disclaimer.

Being on the ship felt amazing. Ryou watched as the land below rolled out from under them, slowly, but all too quickly at the same time. He had never been flying before, even on a regular airplane. It was so new. Inside, Sami had proven skillful with flying the ship. After the careful maneuver to get away from the range, the trip had been smooth. Now, she was looking for a good place to land the ship. It was large. He highly doubted it would've fit in the town's square, but she seemed to be aiming for that regardless. Bakura had stayed by her side, but as she began to descend, he backed away. And he turned to one of the many windows.

"Where'd you learn to drive ships, my dear?" he asked her, interested by her skill with driving. She just grinned.

"I used to have an uncle who flew airships like this," she replied confidently, "Not much I remember about him. But I did get his skill, I suppose." Bakura just nodded, frowning slightly. It must've been hard for her to not even remember her real family. Then again, she had stated she'd been taken in when she was young. But then, how'd she learn to fly? None of it made any particular sense to Bakura.

The ship landed gently in the square, proving to Ryou that it indeed fit in the cobbled courtyard. To his surprise, Malik, Yugi, and the other two spirits were already waiting for them, bundles in hand. When the ship finally opened its doors, Malik rushed in, dropping his bundle before clapping Ryou on the shoulder. They took a seat at a nearby table as Sami came over to join them. Yami and Bakura proceeded to pack everything else up, as Yugi rushed in. Soon, the ship was ready to go. Except that Sami wasn't at the wheel.

"Okay, there's not a damn thing in Algon," Malik told her, raising a brow, "Where to next, boss?" She grinned slyly. Ryou just chuckled, as Bakura and Yami argued behind them about something.

"Wherever Katsaiga destroyed next," he joked. Sami got up and walked toward a large monitor, making sure to smack Ryou on the back of the head as she passed. Pressing a button on the monitor, a large-scale map showed up. The cities of Algon, Musuta, Duran, Ard, and Dice appeared, with Domino in its center. She tapped the one labeled Musuta.

"We can, and probably should, assume that most of the cities in this area are targeted, if not then destroyed," she began seriously, "Musuta is technically closer than Domino. Not only does it have the necessities we need, my sister is there as well. Taking these facts into account, I'm afraid I may need to delay getting you all home. If there's a problem with this, please state so." To her surprise, no one raised a finger. Yami and Ishtar glanced at each other, both having been the ones in charge when the Bards Three came along, but they said nothing on the matter. Bakura grinned, patting Sami on the back.

"Seeing as how we're already knee-deep in this shit, I think we'd better come along to see this thing wash away," he stated, speaking for everyone. Sami just grinned in return. Malik, however, finally gave protest. He didn't understand why they couldn't take a slight detour to get most of them out of the fire. Technically, this really wasn't their business. Technically, if Sami hadn't come along, they wouldn't even be here. Including having gotten out of the castle at all.

"Wait a second! Why are you taking us?" he demanded, getting up and pushing his chair back, "Sami, I appreciate the fact that you like us, but what the hell? This isn't our fight!" Ryou looked up at him in surprise, and Sami just let out a heavy sigh. She, of everyone, knew this fact. But she had to ignore it for their safety. She sat back down, and gestured for Malik to do the same.

"While I am the one chasing Katsaiga around, the fact that your very world was thrown in signifies that you _are_ involved, whether we want that or not," she replied very sternly, "This isn't just about me, either. This is about the entire universe. Every world, every facet of Oblivion, could be put in danger if these Mystics aren't stopped." Any adversity Malik held vanished with that. His eyes softened, and his voice lightened.

"Is it really that bad?" he whispered. Sami gave him a critical look, and nodded, taking off her glasses. In the light, her eyes were a steel jade. And cold. The look in them betrayed her age.

"It's worse than bad," she told them all grimly, "It's nearly catastrophic. This world's suffered enough as it is, and if one world does collapse, there's a chance that the void surrounding it will try to overcompensate the lost, sucking in other worlds around it. Effectively, this would destroy _many_ worlds in one shot." That was a bit of an understatement to her, now that she spoke of it. Collateral damage was unavoidable in that instance, but Oblivion was too unstable. Everything within it could collapse.

"Has this happened before?" Yugi asked her. She looked at him, and something in her, without even speaking, said that it had. Possibly many times.

"Yes," she said at length, "In many corners, through many worlds, yes. Destruction has occurred." That yielded silence. Ryou couldn't begin to imagine how something like that could happen, but Sami sounded too severe to be lying. And, trusting her hadn't led to bad results yet. She had no reason to lie to him. Ryou, no matter how skeptical, knew he could believe her. And that he _should_ believe her.

"…will our world die?" Bakura asked her, and for a moment, she said nothing. That couldn't have been a good sign. She stood up, walking over to the wheel to drive it again. Then, when she saw that their path was correct, she sighed and turned to look over her shoulder. Everyone was still at the table, waiting for her answer.

"…it will if we do nothing," she told them honestly, "All worlds… die one day. This one is no different. But if we don't act, it surely will die, with us still in it." No one spoke again. No one knew what to say. Sami turned back to the wheel. There was nothing more she could do right then. Eventually, the time passed and everyone began to leave, either to explore the rest of the ship or to get some rest. Only Ryou remained at the table, and Sami, who'd let the autopilot take over for her, came over to him. Sitting across from him, she asked, "How are you faring?"

"I'm… okay," he said slowly. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to a question like that. Being told that your world is doomed wasn't the best way to top a day. But he knew why Sami had done it. They had to know the danger they were in… and were prepared to walk away from. Sami looked at him curiously. She didn't believe his answer for a second.

"You're okay, are you?" she asked, and reached under the table for a bottle that smelled amazingly similar to whiskey, "Well, then, why are you sitting here? Everyone else has left." Ryou's lips thinned as he watched her take the seal off and pour herself a small glass. He was actually surprised she drank. Then again, she was allowed to. She took a swig, and then set the glass down, peering at him through the distorted glass.

"I… I don't know," he said after a minute, "How am I supposed to react? You just said we're doomed." Sami took another sip, and grinned as she felt the liquid wash down her throat. A drink, when the time was right, was a miracle to behold.

"No, I said that _eventually_, we're doomed," she correctly, her grin broadening, "As of right now, we're in moderate danger." Ryou growled. That wasn't helping him. If he wasn't so afraid of her sticking her sword through him, he'd have yelled at her for it. As it was, though, he already knew she was drinking.

"Moderate? Being chased is _moderate_? Walking through the ruins of what was once a nice city is _moderate_!?" he asked her, his voice growing high with disbelief, "What is _extreme_, then!?"

"I insist you calm yourself," she replied flatly, losing any tone of amusement in her voice. But, Ryou didn't heed her this time.

"Calm myself!? Are you insane!?" he asked her, standing up, "You're confusing me! You're telling me we're going to die if we do nothing, but at the same time, you say we're not in extreme danger! Sami, I'm sorry, but when _vampires_ come to kill me, and when some witch comes to kill me, and when some _thing_ comes to capture me, it's extreme!" Sami finally stood up, slowly, purposefully. Her chair flew from behind her, and she crossed her arms, her wings going stiff. Only then, did Ryou realize he crossed a line.

"I am not a _thing_," she spat, her eyes growing even colder than before, "And if you insist we're in danger, then by all means, we are. But I don't see you working to stop it. Nor do I expect you to, but do not _ever_ insult me like that." She stepped back, and Ryou noticed that out of the corner of his eye, Bakura and Yami were racing down the stairs. But he ignored them as they ran right into the parlor, Bakura setting something up quickly as they began to dance to some sort of music Ryou couldn't decipher. Sami turned to the parlor to join them, and looked back just once to say, "You wouldn't want me as a foe, Ryou. You wouldn't live to have another breath." He didn't disbelieve that for a second. She walked into the parlor, and after a few seconds, Ryou followed. Bakura and Yami seemed to have decided on whatever they were doing before, for the music died.

"I win!" Bakura exclaimed, and pointed to Yami, "I win, pharaoh!" Yami, who'd managed to fall onto the floor, just scrambled up and glared at Bakura. It was pretty obvious he felt otherwise.

"What!? You certainly didn't!" he yelled back, eyebrows furrowing in agitation, "You fell over as well!" Sami sat in the back, watching them with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. Personally, Ryou didn't blame her. This could escalate into something absolutely ridiculous. And, knowing Bakura, it most probably would.

"No, I _tripped_! _You_ hit the floor way before me!" Bakura yelled back. That didn't help, and it definitely started something ridiculous. For minutes on end, they yelled, they bickered, and they insulted each other. Ryou was sure he'd try and kill one of them if they didn't stop, and as he glanced over, he saw Sami _would_ kill them. Her sword was drawn again. Finally, they reached a decision: they'd just ask the most mature person on the premises.

"_SAMI!_" Ryou just wanted to snort. He couldn't see just how they thought asking Sami was a good idea, but they did. And they'd soon learn to regret it. She sheathed her sword, but her arms crossed again. She didn't look the least bit likely to placate them.

"Neither of you win, so stop the racket before I kill you," she stated, tapping her foot, "Now I suggest you both get off the dance floor before someone, most probably myself, decides to kick you. Let someone else play." Neither spirit liked being scolded, but they obeyed nonetheless. Yugi took the chance by storm, running down the stairs and practically sliding onto the dance floor. Malik came shortly after, wondering just what was going on. He regretted that wonder. He came across Yugi doing a move that looked like a cross between disco and tai-chi.

"Who the hell taught you to dance?" Bakura asked, snickering, "Your grandfather?" Malik snorted, shaking his head as he sat next to Sami. Yugi just turned, and smiled widely. He must not have known what an insult was, because that was it, and he wasn't offended.

"Yes he did! And I'm very proud of it, too!" Yugi piped, earning another bout of laughter from Bakura. That's when he realized that Bakura was _insulting_ him. Brows furrowed, he said, "Stop laughing! My grandfather is a _great_ dancer! It's not my fault you're _jealous_!" At that point, he had stopped dancing. Which meant that, unfortunately, he had just lost. But he didn't seem to notice.

"Jealous!? Ha! I've nothing to be jealous of," Bakura stated, and grinned, "I'm not the one who just lost, anyway." That's when Yugi realized what he did. His eyes widened, and he shook his head, turning to Sami. Ryou could only laugh. Obviously, they thought _she_ was playing referee. And, by the look on her face, she didn't enjoy it. She huffed, waving a hand dismissively.

"You've lost," she stated, almost disinterestedly, "Let another person have a turn." Yugi begged for her to let him keep going, but she shook her head and eventually had Bakura escort him to a seat. Ryou actually managed a laugh. Yugi had never looked pissed off before. And now, he looked about as angry as a rabid Doberman. Ryou turned to Sami.

"You should give it a go," he suggested. Sami just laughed hysterically, and shook her head. Yugi, at that thought, just smiled and nodded his head in agreement. Any trace of anger was extinguished now.

"You'd do awesome!" he added. But again, Sami shook her head.

"Boys, I don't dance," she replied with a snort, "Besides, I certainly don't do music. I battle and battle only." Yami looked over at her and raised a brow. To him, battle wasn't something that should've been a prominent skill. Dancing was much more fun. And a bit easier to learn, too.

"Are you serious?" he asked her, and when she raised an equally quizzical brow, he said, "Can't you try?" Sami just sighed. They wanted _everyone_ to play, and unfortunately, that included her. So be it. She rose from her seat.

"Fine," she replied, and then grinned, "But I only dance to swords and fire." Yami just nodded, and the floor cleared for her.

Ryou had assumed that when Sami said 'swords and fire,' she was referring to a song. And, now as he watched, he knew he was dead wrong. She literally meant she danced with a blade and with fire. Lots of fire. Fire that could've set everything, including themselves, into a raging inferno of pain. It was pretty, there was no doubt; it looked similar to a circus performance. But in such an enclosed space, no matter how big the room, it was a dangerous stunt. But it was easily the best dance. If only _because_ of the fire.

"Damn, and here I thought she was talking about a band we never heard of," Malik commented, watching as her blade whirled, her hands moving it to perform various stances consecutively, quickly. It really did seem as though she were dancing.

"With Sami, I don't think we'll ever know what she's talking about," Bakura said, snorting as he watched. The fire around her alone should've stopped her from even attempting such a stupid move, but she must've been proving a point of some kind. Technically, everyone did harass her to dance. And now, she was dancing. Never mind how dangerous it was, how stupid it was. She was dancing.

"Think she could go pro with that?" Ishtar asked, finishing the rest of her whiskey for her. No one answered. There _was_ no answer to that, because it all depended on where she went, and most of all, if she _wanted_ to go pro. And chances are, she didn't. Finally, with one final flick of her blade, the fire died, and she swung the blade in a slow arc over her head, letting the tip rest gently on the ground. Then, she pointed up. Everyone looked up at the ceiling, and Ryou laughed again. On the ceiling, in slash-marked letters, spelled the words 'Sami wins.' Immediately below it was another word, which spelled 'assholes.' If anything deserved winning, it was that. Malik's mouth just dropped open.

"You win," Yugi agreed, wondering just how she had managed to write it from all the way up there. She hadn't jumped up at all during her 'dance.' She just grinned, and went back to her seat. There was no use rubbing it in. Bakura and Yami silently stalked up the stairs, still thinking on their unusually confusing defeat. Ishtar helped Malik unplug the stereo, and then they too went to their rooms. Yugi remained for a moment to get something to eat before hightailing it as well. That left Sami and Ryou again. Which made Ryou very nervous.

"…are you going to bed?" Sami asked, when neither moved for nearly ten minutes. Ryou didn't like being left alone with her. He _wanted_ to be friends, but she scared him. Especially when she had her sword with her. Which was all the time. He wished she'd take it off for a few seconds, just to make him less terrified.

"Yes," he replied, and stood up, "Do you need anything before I go?"

"Like what?" she asked, looking up at him, her frown softening a little. Ryou felt a slow blush creeping onto his face, which he tried to hide. But he was sure she could see it. He shrugged it away.

"Food, a drink, maybe a book," he listed, biting his lip, "Anything?" She just chuckled. It brightened her normally gaunt expression. It was a nice change. She stood up and shook her head, letting her arms uncross. She seemed to be relaxing now that the commotion was gone.

"No, thank you," she answered kindly, and smiled, "I'm going to be down here for some time before heading up myself. You just go up and get some sleep. It'll be a traveling day tomorrow." Ryou just nodded. _Today_ had been a traveling day, and today, he would've loved a nice, little nap. But that was neither there nor then. He looked around the room quickly, trying to find anything to say to her. He wasn't exactly tired, but he had nothing to bother her about. He felt awkward, standing there before her.

"I suppose this is goodnight," he said quietly, having nothing else to say. She nodded, and clapped his shoulder encouragingly.

"Yes. Get some rest," she stated again. Ryou nodded, and then very quickly kissed her on the cheek. Almost as quickly, she stepped back, staring at him. Her eyes had widened, making her look both terrified and angry with him, and he found he had probably caught her off guard. And he regretted it. She opened her mouth to speak, but he was too fast. He ran right up the stairs, into one room, and slammed the door. Quietly, he waited to make sure she wasn't following. When he heard she wasn't, he slid down the door, onto the carpet.

"Stupid!" he hissed angrily at himself, "Stupid! I did something so stupid!" Right then, he wished she had stabbed him with her sword. Seeing such a look on her face set him back many paces. Bakura, who'd been silently reading on the bed, put his book down and looked over. He could only guess as to what was making Ryou so mad.

"Getting angry won't help you," he reminded the boy, and sighed when Ryou looked up at him, in tears, "What did you do this time?"

"I kissed her goodnight," Ryou replied, and Bakura seemed almost intrigued, "She stepped away. Bakura… she looked so angry with me! She hates me! What the hell do I do?" Seeing Ryou so flustered almost made Bakura laugh. He shook his head and gestured for the boy to come over. Which, Ryou did. He sat next to Bakura, who ruffled his hair sympathetically.

"What will I do with you, eh?" the old thief asked, "First, you're afraid to even look at a girl, and before I know it, you're kissing one. One who's in her twenties, might I add." Ryou sniffled. That was also true enough. He was still too young.

"What do I do?" he asked the spirit, "Bakura, you're good with women! Tell me what to do! I can't take her hating me. I can't!" Bakura patted his back, and looked up at the ceiling. It was a dark blue.

"I doubt she'd _hate_ you, Ryou," he finally said, and Ryou sighed, "Look, kid, you've got a crush on her. That's all. It'll pass. It's just because you're not used to women. Just give it a few days, you'll probably be sick of her by then." Ryou sighed again, looking at the carpet. He really didn't know how to feel. Was that really all it was?

"I hope you're right," he said, as Bakura hopped off the bed, "I really hope you're right." He climbed under the covers, and shut his eyes, even though he wasn't tired. His mind was racing, trying to get a grip on what just happened. It really wasn't a big deal. He just had never done that before. Bakura came over and patted him on the head before heading to the window to close it.

"Just rest, kid. Everything will be better tomorrow," he assured gently, "I know it." Ryou didn't know just how accurate Bakura was, but he didn't argue. He just did his best to let sleep overcome him; sleep would probably clear his head and help him think straight. Thankfully, for him, sleep came quickly. On bad days like that, sleep always did. And it was always welcomed.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Now in control of the ancient ship, Ryou is well on his way to Musuta, where Sami's sister is waiting for them. With Sami driving, and with everyone else resting, all should be well as they arrive. But, has Katsaiga already laid waste to the fair city? Or will she come just as they arrive? And will tomorrow really be better for Ryou? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	14. Glyph: Enter Radical Retro Specter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Kazuki Takahashi does, and I think they should have a disco special. Also, Radical Retro Specter is a remake of Mad Mod from Teen Titans.

She let them get too far. She had let _her_ get too far. What was once an act of mercy was turning into her worst mistake ever, in her long, four-thousand year life. Katsaiga sat in her room, in the castle of Sylatone, looking into a crystal ball intently. She had seen Sami retrieve the ship. She had seen them escape Algon. She had seen the man who had given Sami the ship, something she duly needed to avoid. And she was too late to do much of anything. She gave a heavy sigh, and looked up. There stood a young girl, with shocking red hair that came down to her waist. Katsaiga seemed both pleased and annoyed to see her, and silently, hoped she had the patience to deal with her daughter. Seeing Sami succeed, while bringing some level of relief, had alerted her master of what she had done. And if she failed to act, she'd be disposed of.

"Amber, my daughter, what is it?" she asked calmly, fingering the orb, "News of Rath exists?" Amber, the young girl, merely shook her head in disinterest. She obviously wasn't there to warn her mother of their master.

"No, but we've spotted that bitch, Winchester," the young girl replied angrily, almost hatefully, "She's moving toward Musuta, where all those weak, little Chesiers live. Mother, she's getting away!" Katsaiga didn't need her daughter to tell her that. It had been obvious enough. She let out another sigh. This was progressively getting worse and worse as time passed. She wished she had killed Sami right there, in the fields outside of Algon. But she hadn't. She spared the woman on an act of mercy. Mercy didn't win wars.

"I know well where they are," Katsaiga said calmly, smiling and stroking the orb, "I would lie, dear daughter, if I said this didn't please me, in some small way." Somehow, the tone of her voice told Amber her mother wasn't joking. Her frown became more apparent with that.

"Why? Winchester's a problem. She's the entire reason this happened to us!" Amber exclaimed, and huffed, "If… if… if her stupid sister hadn't interfered so long ago… we'd have killed her! We could've destroyed the entire Esper race if we killed her! Mother, we need to kill her!" Katsaiga could feel the tears well up in her eyes. They weren't tears of happiness. Oh, no, they were tears of something much more distant, of something before Amber had even been born. Tears of something that had occurred so long ago, she wasn't surprised that Sami hadn't been able to remember it.

"We need to stop this madness," she whispered to herself, and then in a louder tone, "We must act. Amber, go and inform Radical Retro Specter that he is to deal with Winchester. He can keep her at bay." What Katsaiga didn't say was that the man in question would most likely explain something to Sami, something that was vital in whatever Katsaiga's plans were. Amber's mouth dropped open at such a request. The man was insane! And, nearly impossible to reach. He lived in his own world, and who was to say where his loyalty lied? He could very well be on Sami's side to begin with. Except that, he wasn't. Amber just sighed, and walked to the door. Katsaiga heard, just barely, her daughter's response.

"Of course, mother."

---

The sleep had been welcomed, and to Ryou's relief, the blonde man didn't come to haunt him that night. He woke up early, refreshed with the dream he had of going to school, and finding that, to his astonishment, the gym teacher had been fired. If only it had actually happened. Slightly disappointed, Ryou slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Bakura. He didn't know what time it was, but it couldn't have been after six. The sun wasn't even up yet. Silently, he crept out of his room, and down the stairs. Nothing stirred. He reached the bottom, and peered from the stairwell, into the large chamber that served as the main living space. There, Sami was. She had untied the bandana in her hair, but she was still wearing the same thing as the previous night. Ryou wondered if she had even slept.

"…Sami?" he called gently, so as to not scare her. She turned around, and tilted her head as she saw him. Then, she smiled slightly. It looked genuine. If she hadn't been so much older, Ryou would've complimented her on it. Immediately, he pushed the thought away.

"Good morning, Ryou," she said calmly, as though nothing had happened the night before. Perhaps to her, nothing had. Ryou had the distinct feeling she thought he was over-reacting. And now that he considered it, he probably had.

"Um… I'm sorry," he began, and when Sami's eyebrow rose, he added, "For running from you. Last night." Sami blinked. Clearly, she didn't recall it. Then, she chuckled. It finally connected. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. In her mind, that shouldn't be bothering him so much.

"Don't be," she replied, amused, "You aren't the first boy to kiss me. I'm not offended." Ryou silently wondered how many boys had done so before, and quickly found he didn't want to know. He sat down at the table as Malik and Yugi came rushing down for the morning meal. It'd have to consist of cereal; Sami hadn't prepared anything, and she didn't make a move to do so. But no one minded. Cereal was the best start to any morning.

"How far are we?" Malik asked as he chomped into a spoonful of marshmallows. Sami glanced at a map, adjusting her glasses as she did so. Then, she shrugged and sat down to join them. Normally, she didn't eat breakfast, but she grabbed the box of cereal and poured herself a glass, being too lazy to bother with a bowl. She regretted it when her cereal tasted like alcohol.

"Not long," she replied, pushing her bowl away, "Two hours at the most, but by normal standards, less than an hour." Ryou grinned. That was good time. But then he wondered why Sami had said this day would include travel. He guessed she wouldn't spend some time in the city. That somehow, didn't surprise him. He just wished they could take some time off. A little sightseeing was healthy. It might do Sami some good, at the very least. Thankfully, Yugi ended up asking the question Ryou didn't want to argue with.

"Are we going to explore the city?" he asked her. Sami looked at Yugi carefully, considering the option in her mind. Truth to tell, there wasn't much need. Musuta was a small city; nothing was of unusual interest there. But that didn't mean _they_ didn't still want to look. Finally, she nodded slowly. Which caught Ryou by surprise. He was sure she'd disagree.

"I don't see the harm," she said, and then in a darker tone, "This will be the last time you'll be able to go home, though. If we leave Musuta and you all stay with me, you _will_ fight, understood?" Ryou already knew that from the beginning. He planned on helping her. After all, he did owe Sami for saving his life, even if she could've also ended it in the same instance. Malik, however, wasn't so keen with her choices.

"So it's either we help you and die, or we run away and still die?" he asked, and though he meant it to be a joke, his tone wasn't in any way amused. He was angry, "Are we your friends or not?" Sami hummed. That stunned her a little bit. And, she didn't know how to answer. Technically, they were _comrades_, but friends? No, they weren't friends just yet.

"…you aren't," she finally stated, and everyone looked at her, shocked by that answer, "But you _are_ my comrades and I do take your lives seriously. That's why I'm giving you this choice. There is no shame in running away. This is a battle I may not even win." That was welcomed by silence. It was a tough choice to make for any of them. What did they know about magic, anyway? All they knew was that magic was what started this. Sami _had_ magic, and so did the Mystic they were running from. And _magic_ was what nearly destroyed their world so long ago. Could they actually do anything? Ryou wanted to ask that, but Yugi, who'd been looking out of a window, suddenly turned and grabbed Sami's arm. He pointed a shaking finger out one window.

"What's that!?" he asked her, and she ran over to see what had scared him. At first, she saw nothing. Maybe he'd seen a bird, or some other flying creature.

"What is what?" she asked. But Yugi didn't speak. Sami squinted her eyes, and then she saw what was scaring him. There was a ripple in the air, and within that ripple was a black dot. At first, it was so tiny, she almost waved it off. But it grew. And it grew quickly. That tiny black dot expanded like a portal into nowhere. She backed away. She knew _exactly_ what that was: Oblivion, the one thing she feared would be released. She rushed to the wheel, and switched off the Autopilot. To get away from it would take a skillful hand. _Her_ hand.

"Do you feel that?" Ryou asked suddenly, as a force of pressure hit the side of the ship. Sami's eyes narrowed. She wished Ryou hadn't spoken. It was making it difficult to focus. She glanced back for only a second.

"Oblivion has opened up," she stated, her voice freezing the blood in Ryou's veins. She said nothing more as she looked again outside. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Oblivion's portal had reached a width large enough to fit the ship into. She slammed the nitro on as wind gusted out of the portal, barraging the old ship. This was bad. She knew the poor machine couldn't handle such a blow for very long.

"What's going on!?" Yami demanded, as he caught Yugi before the boy was sent hurtling out the window. He turned to watch Sami, but she didn't reply. The ship needed her full attention. Another blow struck the ship, this time causing enough of a shock to shake it. Malik's fists clenched as he clutched the windowsill.

"What the hell is Oblivion!?" he yelled over the roar of wind. But no one answered him. No one could hear over such a powerful blast. Sami growled as she tried to wrestle control over the ship. The winds were knocking it all over, and she couldn't even keep it on course. If this kept up, the ship would ignite from the force she was exerting.

"_SAMI!_" Bakura called, wishing to hell the woman would answer. But she didn't. She was still working at that damn wheel, until something crushed one of the windows in front of her, shattering it on impact. Sami screamed, letting go as the furious gale sent her soaring across the room, slamming into the ground further away. Tables, chairs, and other furniture were pushed back, and Sami jumped, narrowly avoiding being crushed by a couch. She landed, and staggered to the wheel. She had to land. They would die if this kept up.

"Sami, stop!" Ryou called, as he watched her go forward, the wind pelting her again and again, "Just stop! It's not worth it!" Sami either didn't hear him, or she ignored him entirely. She kept at it, using her arm as a shield against the cyclone. She nearly fell, but she kept her balance, her wings flapping wildly to steady her. Distantly, muffled from the wind, she heard Ryou beg her to stop trying.

"Shut up!" she screamed, her voice as loud as thunder, "We're going to die if I don't stop this!" She turned from behind her, to the front. Nothing had scared Sami before; at least, nothing to the point of screaming in horror, falling to her knees from it. But this did. Wherever that portal led to, they were sinking into it. No amount of sailing would save them from this. It had been too late. The void, that cursed void Sami wanted to outrun, was quickly swallowing the ship up. Darkness hung in the ship, and then, it flipped over. Ryou heard a loud crack, a muffled scream from behind him, and then he passed out. He didn't know what happened after that.

He didn't know where they landed. He didn't even care where they landed. They were just alive. They were alive, and that was all he cared about. Ryou opened up his eye weakly as his mind registered this fact. One thing that became clear was that they weren't in the ship anymore. They were lying in a plain of white grass. And yet it wasn't cold; it couldn't have been snow. Ryou blinked slowly, and looked in the distance. Trees sprang up in the distance, thickening to what looked like a forest. But, they were oddly formed and clear as crystal. Everything looked clear as crystal. They were the only things of color, wherever they were. Ryou didn't like any of it.

"…Sami, where are we!?" he whispered, shaking her. He found the movement hurt him. Then, he remembered he had slammed into something with a deafening crack before passing out. He prayed it hadn't been a person. Sami stirred, as did Malik and Yugi. The three spirits were nowhere to be seen as of yet. Malik blinked sleepily and stared at the white sky. He seemed particularly disoriented.

"…where the hell are we?" he asked sluggishly, rubbing his eyes. The realization that he was awake crashed in on him. He asked again, in a much sharper tone. He was terrified; he had no idea what another world was like, but this was it. He had never seen, or even heard of a white forest. Sami plucked a piece of grass with her fingers. She seemed frustrated. She let out a sigh, shaking her head. She could feel the magic swirling in this place. She wished she didn't.

"Another world," she replied quietly, as though she were trapped in some kind of bubble, "Damned be it, this was what I wanted to avoid!" She pounded her gloved hand against the ground, snarling slightly. Her ears had lowered in anger. Ryou patted her shoulder, hoping to calm her. This wasn't her fault.

"Will we be okay?" he asked her, but she didn't answer him. Her breaths came in ragged gasps. It was obvious _she_ wasn't okay. Ryou turned back to the trees. Aside from the grass, and themselves, those were the only living things here. There were no birds, no rodents, not even a small stream. That wasn't a good sign. Food would be a problem here if they couldn't get out. A rustling from behind them caught their attention. Ryou turned, and his mouth dropped. Where nothing had once been, stood a man with shockingly red hair, a blue tailcoat with yellow ribbons adorning a purple shirt. His pants were blue, with a British flag symbol stitched on one leg. He tapped his cane on the ground. By all rights, he looked absolutely ridiculous.

"Now, now, what 'ave we 'ere, eh?" he asked, in a thick accent Ryou couldn't yet place, "What are you little duckies doing in _my_ world?" Sami raised an eyebrow at him. She had never seen this man, but _he_ was the one all of the magic was coming from. He wasn't crazy, as she first thought. He was a magician of some sort. That was even worse.

"Who are you?" she asked, and then stated, "I demand an answer from you." Ryou wasn't so sure she should've been so demanding. They could've been dealing with a psychopath. But the man smiled. He was amused with her. He humored her.

"Me? Lassie, I'm known as Radical Retro Specter!" he exclaimed, his dark sunglasses gleaming in the white light, "And _you_ lot have stumbled into my private home!" Ryou looked again at the crystal trees and the white grass. He saw no house or shelter of any sort that would permit lodging. So, he couldn't see how anyone could live here. But whoever this man was, he wasn't lying. Sami didn't seem worried, though. She kept her steady tone as she stood up. Her sleeves ruffled as she crossed her arms.

"Stumbled? We've done no such move," she stated, almost indignantly, "You've taken us out of our world and thrown us here!" Radical Retro stepped back, shock scrawled on his face. Never before had someone accused him of a task so ridiculously useless! He had no need for visitors. He was a lover of illusions; he could conjure them if he so needed them. Then, anger set into his face. He wasn't the one who had done this, but he knew who very well may have.

"Aye, lass, you're looking at the wrong man," he told her calmly, "I summoned no one to my world. But, I know who has. I'll contact her. In the meantime, I'll entertain you all with some riddles." Ryou didn't like what that could mean, and Sami didn't either. Her brows had creased into a sharp V on her forehead now. The look she gave the man was critical; almost threatening.

"What is your game?" she demanded. But the man shook his head, waggling his index finger. No one knew his secrets, and he didn't plan to share them. His smile became playful.

"Lassie, you know not who I am, do you?" he asked her, and tapped his cane on the ground, "No worries, dear. You'll learn soon enough! Have fun!" Sami's eyes widened as she blinked, and then she looked down at her feet. She had felt a tingling sensation, and saw that she was disappearing from view. She didn't scream; there wasn't a need. But she struggled. And it did nothing. She vanished, leaving her friends in shock. They had never seen anything like that before.

"Sam?" Malik called, poking at the spot where she stood. He felt nothing. Turning around to face the crazy man, he glared and demanded, "What did you do to her!?" Radical Retro laughed calmly, and clapped his hands. Ryou wished he had his sword so he could slice those hands off.

"She's completing her riddle," Radical said, "No worries, my lovelies! I have plenty for all of you while I make my call!" He tapped his cane to the ground, and Malik screamed as Yugi vanished slowly, and then he too dispersed into a blast of yellow lights. Ryou stepped back. He knew what was coming. He was next on the line. And he hated riddles. Especially magical ones. He knew enough to know they'd probably kill him. He wanted to live.

"Get away from me!" Ryou yelled, as Radical Retro came closer. The man tapped his cane again, an almost bewildered look starting to come across his face. Ryou didn't trust him for a second.

"Now, now, you're in my world now," Radical stated simply, "I can't have you little buggers running around while I call up Katsaiga, can I?" The mention of the Mystic caused Ryou to freeze. Katsaiga… that was who Sami was going to kill. That was who imprisoned him. How did this man know her? Ryou's eyes narrowed. Was this why Sami wasn't afraid? But, that made no sense. Sami had never mentioned anyone else who'd come between them. And, if there was someone else, Ryou was sure she would've said something.

"How do you know Katsaiga!?" Ryou demanded, wishing to all hell that he had his sword with him. Radical Retro looked down at him, and this time, he looked _really_ confused. He crossed his arms, glancing up at the sky for just a moment too long.

"Oy, e'eryone in Oblivion knows about those Mystics!" he exclaimed, though Ryou didn't know if he actually remembered who he was talking to, "They come around, destroying other worlds for something that happened so long ago, no one even remembers! I wonder what they possibly want _this_ time!" Ryou didn't know why Radical would be giving him such valuable information. He wished Sami were here to listen to it. She'd have a field day. He made a mental note to tell her everything this man might tell him.

"You've worked with them before?" If Ryou was going to buy everyone else some time to solve their riddles, he had to keep Radical talking. Radical didn't seem any the wiser over what was forming in the boy's head. He gave a cold laugh.

"Work with them? Well, when they come here, destroying my beloved world, I haven't a damned choice, do I?" Radical ranted, his brows furrowing under his glasses, "No, I don't. I do what I can, but only that! No one bribes Radical Retro!"

"Then why did you summon us _here_?" Ryou pressed. This was getting him nowhere fast, and if he wanted his friends to live, he'd have to play better than this. But Radical wasn't a man of normal logic. He turned to Ryou again, and shook his head.

"I told you dolts, I didn't summon you!" he replied angrily, "Someone else has, and when I find out who, they'll get worse than a frog in the throat! Now, stop distracting me! Off to your puzzle!" Ryou's eyes widened. He realized too late that he weaved himself into a trap. Radical knew all along what he'd do. He cursed the man as he tapped his cane onto the floor. Ryou knew what was coming. He dashed forward. He had to break that cane, shatter it to pieces. Then he'd be in the clear… for about five seconds. But that'd render Radical useless.

"_NO! I…_" Ryou didn't finish. Radical merely grinned as the boy nearly grasped his arm, only to disappear in a whirl of lights. Ryou didn't know what happened after that. One minute, Radical had spun out of focus; everything spun out of focus, in a blur of color that Ryou's mind couldn't grasp. The next moment, he was lying face-down near a crystal lake. He had failed. He couldn't stop Radical.

"…damn it," he mumbled, pulling himself up. No one else was with him. He looked around, hoping there was some clue as to where he, or anyone else, was. But there was nothing. White grass beneath a white sky greeted him. Ryou shivered as he stood up. A faint breeze blew from behind, where the lake stood. It rattled through the grass, an eerie sound that Ryou only imagined in a horror movie, or perhaps a book. But it wasn't the sound he wanted to hear now. He stepped forward.

"Bakura?" he called. He hadn't expected to find Sami, Yugi, or even Malik, but he did expect Bakura to be there. Unfortunately, the spirit didn't respond. It gave Ryou a terrible feeling. He shivered again. He had to do something. Wherever he was, he had to get out. He'd get the ship and find everyone else. Then he'd kill Radical if the man didn't answer their questions. Or he'd get Sami to. She definitely would do so, after what the man had pulled. Just the thought of her doing that send a wave of sadness through Ryou. This was technically the first time he was separated from her, since they had met. He didn't mind that she was gone, but he still wished she was there. She'd have gotten them out of here by now. Ryou looked down. The more he thought about it, the more apparent that it became that he was alone. And in this world, that was the last thing he wanted to avoid.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After spending the night on the ancient ship, Ryou and his friends find themselves in a world of confusion created by the psychotic illusionist known as Radical Retro Specter. With everyone separated, how can they get out and stop this madman? And, how did they end up there at all? What was Radical hiding from them? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	15. Radical's Grand Demise

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he still doesn't think Yami should do roller disco.

Ryou didn't know how long he stayed in the spot, watching the bleak sky as he waited for something to happen. He'd lost count of how many seconds had past, and eventually gave up trying. Here, time flowed so differently. He didn't know if a minute had passed, or if a week had gone by. But he did know it was beginning to annoy him. He sighed, wondering what he should be doing. He _should_ be looking for his friends. That much, he was sure of. Finally, he forced himself to move. Sitting around wouldn't do anything for him. He stepped forward; the grass crunched like glass underneath his feet, causing him to wince in surprise. It sounded unnaturally loud.

'_Ryou, watch what you're doing!_' came a grumpy voice from inside of his mind, '_I'm trying to think!_' Ryou blinked, at first unable to recognize the voice. Then, he understood who it was. Bakura _had_ been with him after all! He was relieved.

"Bakura! You're all right!" Ryou exclaimed, as the old spirit appeared next to him, rubbing his ear irritably, "I thought the portal killed you! I'm so glad!" He couldn't help himself. As much as he told himself that he'd have to do this alone, he tackled Bakura over. The old thief just grunted, ruffling the boy's hair as a stiff smile spread across his face.

"Missed me, eh?" he asked, finally grinning, "Can't say I blame you, really." Ryou just snorted, and let go of him. He was happy to see Bakura, but it only reminded him that he had to find everyone else. Noticing the bag that had been behind him, Ryou dragged it over and opened it up. And then he blinked. He didn't remember carrying potions and explosives with him before, and wondered if the landing had hurt him so badly that he just couldn't remember. There _was_ a cell-phone there, though. Ryou did have one of those. He picked it up and decided to call Yugi. Hopefully, the boy had his own phone, too.

'_We're sorry. The number you've dialed is unavailable. Please hang up and try again._' Then again, maybe Yugi didn't have his phone. Ryou breathed deeply. He'd just have to hope Yugi was all right. Next, he tried Malik's number. He _wanted_ to call Sami, but he didn't even know if she _had_ a phone. He'd have to hope for her, as well. Unfortunately, Malik's number didn't appear to work, either. Now, Ryou was worried. What if something _had_ happened?

"…Ryou? You okay?" Bakura asked slowly, when he saw Ryou's skin going white. Ryou didn't know how to answer. He didn't know just how to explain that he was pretty sure everyone else was dead. He finally decided the truth was the best way to go.

"I can't reach anyone else," he said, trying to remain as calm as he could. But he knew panic was coming through his voice. Bakura just raised an eyebrow. To him, that wasn't really much of a problem. Signals were always screwed up in Domino. He wasn't expecting them to work in _another world_.

"Don't worry so much," the old thief reassured, shrugging as he dragged the bag over to him, "I don't think they're dead." He began sorting through just what was inside; like Ryou, he didn't recognize the contents. But he didn't say anything. He found a can of dog food, and too hungry to question, he began trying to open it up. He didn't even notice the glare Ryou threw his way.

"Thanks. I really needed to be reminded of that," Ryou huffed, and turned away. Bakura just snorted, and gave the thumbs up as he held the can in his left hand.

"I do my best!" he said mockingly, and then added, "Look, Ryou, I really don't think you need to worry. Yugi, you might need to be concerned with, but Malik's much stronger than you. And Sami's not human. I think they're okay." He _wanted_ that to comfort Ryou, but he didn't seem to have done anything close to it. He just went back to the can in his hand, screaming '_ARGH!_' when his nail finally snapped off. How could one stupid can be so much trouble!?

"I still… can't shake this feeling off," Ryou said distantly, and turned when he heard a loud thud. Bakura was currently banging the can on his head, trying to get the damned thing open. But it didn't help him. All he managed to do was get some of the contents to leak into his hair. Watching in slight disbelief, Ryou finally asked, "Why are you trying to open up a can of dog food?"

"Well, why do _you_ have a fucking can of dog food, anyway!?" the old spirit snapped back, and screamed as the can finally exploded on him, "_I GIVE UP, DAMN IT!_" All Ryou could do was laugh; Bakura was covered in a mess of slimy, smelly dog food. Then, he realized something very important that he didn't quite see before. Why _did_ he have dog food? He didn't have a dog. But Sami did. And it was then that he understood what was going on: he had Sami's bag.

"…we had her bag all along!" Ryou exclaimed, laughing, "Well, gee, that explains nearly everything!" Bakura, however, didn't share in the amusement. Because of _Sami's stuff_, he was now covered in dog food. Angrily, he wiped it all off, eye twitching as water ran down his face. It smelled of gravy.

"Goody gumdrops," he mumbled, "Why not call your stupid phone and see which idiot has it!?" Ryou wished Bakura would stop ranting, but he ultimately agreed. It was a good idea. He opened up Sami's phone, making a note to look at her number to see what it was, and then dialed his own phone. Yugi was the one to pick up. Ryou explained quickly what had happened, hoping Yugi understood. He did.

"So I have your stuff?" he repeated, and laughed heartily, "Isn't _that_ just my luck! Yami was freaking out when he saw the cell phone I had wasn't the one he gave me. But then… Ryou, who has _my_ stuff!? Oh god, I hope it's not Malik! I don't want him looking through my deck!" Ryou just snorted. There was plenty reason to be scared of that. Malik might've been a friend, but he was also a bit of a thief when he wanted something. Kaiba never did find the new blueprint for his duel disk that Malik happened to take. 'Accidentally,' Malik had said. Yugi had a right to be nervous.

"Sami probably has it, if we're lucky," Ryou replied, hoping that would calm Yugi down. Then, a pang of worry hit Ryou as he asked, "Have you heard from her? Or from Malik, for that matter?"

"I heard from Malik," Yugi replied slowly, "But not from Sami. Why? Are you worried?" Ryou went silent. It wasn't that he wasn't glad to know Malik was okay; he was worried about Sami now. Anything could've happened, and because she didn't know any of their numbers, she wouldn't call them. She could very well be dead now, and they wouldn't know until they found her. He forced the thought away. He had to focus on right then.

"I'm glad you and Malik are all right," he said calmly, "Yugi, I'm going to come get you guys. Bakura's with me. Try not to leave wherever you are. We'll be there soon, okay?" Yugi agreed to do his best, and Ryou hung up the phone. He explained the conversation to Bakura, and the old thief decided that finding them _was_ best. They could kill Radical Retro Specter later. He stood up, wiping the rest of the dog food off of his chest, and crossed his arms.

"Let's go get them then," he said sternly. Ryou nodded, picking up Sami's bag and slinging it on his shoulder. He was comforted to know that Yugi and Malik were fine. Not perfect, but they were alive. Sami, however, continued to hang like a black cloud in his mind. He wouldn't know how she was until he found her. He prayed he found her first.

---

Malik didn't know where he ended up, but once he woke up, his riddle had been a series of insane events that, if time could dictate, would never have happened. He had woken up with Yami inside of a cage constructed of bone, behind three hulking figures who continued to grunt and snort as they stirred a large pot. Malik knew what that meant; they'd have been cooked alive. When he alerted Yami of this, Yami had proceeded to Mind Crush the three figures, as well as the front of the cage, allowing them to escape. Their troubles weren't over, though. That was only one half of their riddle.

Now, Malik was driving a large vehicle down a very large mountain. The path was rugged, rocky, and dangerous to be on, but Malik had no choice. As soon as they stepped out of the cave, dinosaurs were pursuing them. Malik didn't want to know why; he just wanted to get the hell away from them. Strangely enough, the vehicle was waiting idly for them. They didn't hesitate to take it. And now, they were going down at a very dangerous speed. The speedometer was way past its limit. What truly amazed Yami was that Malik didn't seem to care.

"What the hell are you doing!? Slow down! We're going to crash!" Yami yelled over the roar of a T-rex, "Where in hell did you learn to _drive_!?" Unfortunately, if he actually thought yelling was helping Malik, he was wrong. It was simply making it more difficult to concentrate on the road. Malik looked back for just a moment as they soared over a large rock in the road.

"Your mother!" Malik screamed back angrily, "Sorry for trying to save our damn asses! Now shut up and pretend to help me!" Yami just rolled his eyes. He couldn't see why Malik was getting so angry with him. The car swerved suddenly, narrowly avoiding the smash of a giant tail in front of them. Yami was thrown into the next seat. He wanted to scream at Malik, but the boy was doing his best. It wasn't his fault they were dealing with a species that was supposed to be _extinct_. Unfortunately, Malik's panic didn't recede. The aftershock of such a crash caused him to lose control of the vehicle. It sped right off the path, and into the thick forest, which was sitting on a very steep hill. The vehicle rumbled onward, until it drove straight off a cliff. And there was nothing they could do. Except to watch as the ground came hurtling closer toward them.

"_Oh my Ra, I don't want to die!_" Malik screamed loudly. He shut his eyes. If he was going to die, he wasn't going to watch it. He waited for the moment of impact, but it never came. Slowly, he opened his eye. The car wasn't moving. Shifting, he looked out his window. It had landed in a patch of trees, a miracle Malik could only think of as Ra's response to his terror. But, the car was still broken despite the landing. The engine was puffing out smoke, and to make matters worse, Yami wasn't there. Malik looked around for any sign of the pharaoh, but none existed. Until he heard a weak call from somewhere outside the car.

"Malik?" it was Yami's voice. Malik's eyes widened, and he immediately pried the windshield away; it had shattered in the crash, but the tumbling debris of rocks and dirt kept it from cascading all over the place. It took but a second, and he shot his hand through the pile, waving it when he felt cool air hit his fingers. Yami grabbed his hand and helped him crawl out of the pile. He immediately sighed, as the spirit let go of him, and as they sat on top of the packed dirt.

"I can't believe we actually lived through that," he said, awe-struck with their circumstances. Yami nodded, but he was more focused on finding a way out of there. An ocean sat to the west. He wasn't sure how to cross it, but it'd keep them away from the dinosaurs. He looked around the ruins of what used to be the car, and some of the forest above for any tools. A canoe sat, with two oars poking out of the dirt next to it. That was awfully convenient, but Yami just shrugged it away. It'd help them get away from here. That was all that mattered.

"Yami, what are you doing?" Malik asked, as he watched the old spirit drag the canoe out of the dirt, hefting it to their left as it splashed into the ocean far below, "Are you sure that's even seaworthy? It might have holes in it." Yami would've believed him, except the canoe was still standing. Without answering, Yami jumped straight off the compact ledge they had created with the crash, and landed in the boat below. Then, he looked up when he realized Malik hadn't followed.

"Come on. We're going to find them with this," he stated. Malik just sighed. He didn't want to go canoeing, and he certainly didn't want to crack his neck getting into one. But, he followed. His friends were more important than his neck. He just hoped they found someone. If they didn't, he hoped there'd be another person to blame. It took all his control not to just punch Yami for what had happened. Or to push him into the water, as the canoe slowly set off down the passage, with them using the oars to guide it along.

---

"Ishtar? Are you out here?" Yugi called, coming out from behind a dark curtain, thick with dust that sprayed around as he moved the sheet. He hadn't known just where he'd been taken to, but he understood it was a large building. He had spent the better half of the hour looking through it, trying to find any sign of anyone else. Ishtar was with him, but he had sent the spirit away to find a way out of this place. And, he had regretted it instantly. Darkness was scary enough. Being in a new world, with no one but Ryou's bag, was unbearable. And learning that at least one of them could've been dead, or at least unable to contact the others, had sent shivers of terror up Yugi's spine.

"I'm here," came the flustered reply, "I'm clearing the damn hall out. Tell me you reached someone." It was a forceful demand. Yugi was glad that he had been able to speak to both Ryou and Malik. He didn't want to know Ishtar's reaction if he hadn't.

"Yeah. I talked to Ryou and Malik," Yugi replied, and then more slowly, he added, "But no one's heard from Sami yet. Ryou's getting worried." Personally, Ishtar didn't blame him. As much as Sami was annoying, sometimes just outright bitchy, she was the reason Malik and Ryou were alive. He kicked the corpse of a dead bat away, having fried it with a blast of magic. Silently, he wondered if he could even sense Sami's magic. He hadn't yet.

"Not surprising," he commented casually, "I don't think she's dead, though. We have that going for us, at least." Ishtar decided to leave out the part where he couldn't sense her magic anywhere. There wasn't much use worrying Yugi. He could do that all on his own.

"…you think she's hurt, though?" the boy asked quietly, almost afraid. Ishtar blinked. He hadn't considered that, but if no one reached her, and it seemed clear she was making no move for them, then something really might've happened to her. At the very least, she must've been in a position where she _couldn't_ call. She wasn't a rude person. She'd call if she had a way to.

"I… I don't know," he said, and there was an edge of panic to his voice he didn't like, "But we're not staying here. I don't care what Ryou said. We're moving." Yugi wanted to protest, but Ishtar was already walking down the dark hall, into a large chamber that looked like a theatre room. He stormed past the rows of seats, ignoring the doors as they creaked on their hinges. He walked out the front door, into the dim light of the fading afternoon. Yugi followed him quickly, taking two steps to keep Ishtar's brisk pace.

"Who're we going to go to first?" Yugi asked. Ishtar didn't need to think long for the answer. As much as he wanted to see Malik, and speak to Bakura, both of them were with another person. Sami, as far as they all knew, was alone. And that wasn't good for her. If Radical Retro were going to kill them off, she might've been the easiest target. He walked down the street, Yugi running to keep up.

"Sami. We've got to make sure that woman's alive," he said sternly, "She's the only one who knows what the hell we're dealing with. Let's find her first." Yugi didn't argue. He just hoped she was okay, wherever she happened to be.

---

It took some time, but Sami finally felt able to open her eyes. She knew she'd been unconscious for some time, but how long wasn't known to her. And, she found she didn't really care. She was alive, and that was all that mattered to her. Blinking slowly, she looked around the room. She was encased in some form of crystal cage, thick and cold. The room spread out before her resembled a laboratory. She briefly remembered her nightmare. Then she shook her head. This wasn't the same thing. Squinting her eyes, she looked for a way out. There was a door in the far distance, but she'd have to get out of that blasted cage before she could do anything about it.

"…Ryou?" she called quietly, "Yugi?" She wasn't surprised when she didn't get a response. She tapped the glass. Indeed, it was thick. Her nail tapped off with a tiny 'clink.' She doubted she could shatter it unless she used some very potent force. And, for right now, she didn't want to risk the expenditure. She still had to know where she was.

"…hello?" she called again. Though she knew none of her friends were there, she had a feeling someone else… _something_ else, had to be. And, she was right. Radical Retro Specter came in purposefully, and looked into the cage carefully. Sami noted a look of frustration in his eyes. Something had happened since he left them.

"Sorry for the delay, my dear. Had to get off the phone with them, you see," he told her, "Appears we 'ave a little mix-up, we do." Sami tilted her head. Radical Retro had spoken to her briefly, so briefly, beforehand. And she had heard him out. But believing him was another story. She wanted some answers.

"What sort of mix-up?" she asked warily. If he didn't answer her, she could always try to kill him. A soft smile played across her face as she recited silently the many ways she learned on how to kill a man. But, Radical Retro wasn't on anyone's side. He told her directly.

"Seems that the Mystic woman, Katsaiga, her name was… seems she had asked for my help, but it looks like 'er daughter got the order confused," he told her, almost amused with the anecdote, "'Er daughter sent you all 'ere, and forgot to tell me this. Looks like I'm supposed to deal with you, but according to Katsaiga, that ceased to be." That made no sense to Sami. She could understand if Radical was supposed to kill her. But why was that order revoked? What was Katsaiga's actual plan?

"…intriguing," she replied flatly, "And of my friends? Where are they?" She hadn't truly expected Radical Retro to answer her, but to her surprise, he did. He smiled warmly, tapping his cane.

"They're alive," he replied, and then somberly added, "But not all is well, dear. Seems that twit 'o yours got into some trouble with me pets." Sami didn't need him to tell her who this 'twit' was. She knew it was Ryou. Only he was able to get himself into mortal danger, and not be able to get himself out.

"What trouble?" she asked grimly. Radical Retro shrugged, and tapped his cane to the ground again. Three mirrors appeared, each depicting how her friends were doing. Yami and Malik, she was relieved to see, were rowing down the ocean peacefully. Yugi and Ishtar were walking down a dark street, very much like Algon. Ryou, however, was in trouble. He and Bakura had run into the dinosaurs Malik wanted to avoid. And while Bakura was doing okay in destroying them, Ryou wasn't armed. Sami's eye twitched. Sometimes, she really did think he was a twit.

"Call them off," she demanded firmly. But Radical Retro just shook his head. He was slightly amazed with her lack of terror at such a sight, but not even that would help Ryou.

"Dear, there's not a damn I can do," he replied, shrugging, "Dinosaurs are the worst pets to own. They don't listen to me!" Sami was in no mood to banter. If she could reach out, strangle him, and pop his head off, she would.

"Do it or I'll kill you," she growled, "Don't think I can't try." Radical Retro's face paled. He knew she could do so. Katsaiga warned him of what she was capable of. But there was nothing he could do. He just wasn't fast enough.

"Dear, I can't!" he pleaded, "They won't listen! I'm not fast enough to go and…" A gunshot behind him caused Radical Retro to turn around sharply, and shriek when he saw his crystals shatter from the sound. Sami blinked, and looked around to try to see what had disturbed them. But for now, she couldn't. All she could see was that something was terrifying Radical Retro. He backed up, his skin white.

"Stop it! You're going to destroy my world!" he screamed, and then Sami saw what had caused the shot. It was the man from before, the man in her nightmare. In the light, his skin was ivory, his hair golden. He held a gun directly pointed to Radical Retro.

"Then let her go," he growled, and for a second, cast a glance Sami's way. Then he looked back at Radical Retro. The poor man was scared out of his wits. He couldn't move. Not again this terrifying man, with a gun practically shoved into his throat. Radical didn't react fast enough. Sami screamed as the gunshot went, as the blood splattered upwards, splashing the crystal cage. Radical Retro fell over, dead on impact. She watched with horror as the man picked up Radical's cane and unlocked her cage. He helped her out; she was too paralyzed to move.

"You all right, Sith?" he asked. She barely registered that he was speaking to her as she looked down at Radical Retro's dead form. Only when he cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him, did she notice.

"…why?" she whispered, "Why are you here? Who are you?"

"Don't try to ask so many questions. Just try to relax," he told her, instead of answering her questions, "Your… your friends need you. Are you all right?" Sami didn't answer him, either. Instead, she pushed him aside and stormed out. Ryou was still in danger, if not then dead. Whoever this man was, he'd have to wait. Or so, she thought. Silently, the man followed her. He looked back just once to the corpse he just made. It didn't stir. He made sure of that as he hammered another bullet into its heart. Then, he turned around again, and followed Sami.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, after a short trip into a new world, Radical Retro Specter is dead. And Ryou might be, too. But why did the mysterious man from before kill him, and why is he helping Sami out? What does he know that he won't tell her? And what was Katsaiga planning, if Radical wasn't supposed to kill them all? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	16. Reassurances

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, but I hear he's shelling out a prize for anyone who can be as cold as Kaiba.

Domino City had been spared the agony of the Mystic's threat. At least, for now, it had been. But that hadn't meant everything was peaceful. Nearly a week had gone by since anyone had seen Ryou, and almost as long since they'd heard from Yugi. And, when Tea had come to Yugi's grandfather's shop, she supplied news that Malik had been missing for over a month as well. And now, Tea, along with Joey, Tristan, Miho, and Kaiba, were sitting in Yugi's living room. This was getting serious. Not only were people beginning to disappear, by which Joey was convinced that their friends disappearances were connected, but strange things were beginning to unfold as well. Storms had been brewing, something that was rare for Domino. As they sat in the room, trying to make something of what they'd heard and saw, Joey managed to speak first.

"So, what do we do?" he asked quietly, though his voice seemed unnaturally loud in the gloom, "Do we go out and search?" Miho and Tea both exchanged nervous glances, unable to decide what to do. Kaiba appeared to have been ignoring them. Joey wasn't surprised that Tristan was the only one who answered. He looked up from a newspaper.

"I don't think we should risk it," Tristan stated seriously, and plopped down an article for them all to see, "They're saying monsters have been appearing around other cities. And with how the weather's been, I really don't want to die out there." Joey grumbled. Leave it to Tristan to wimp out. He looked to Tea. Normally, if Yugi were in danger, she'd be the first to try and help him. But, she must've agreed with Tristan. She shook her head.

"No, Joey. We can't," she said sadly, and bit her lip, "I called Rex up to see if he could help us. He recently joined the police force. He says that there've been reports of some kind of fortress to the east, a few miles. They're actually putting up gates to keep people from going out there." That was a bad sign. Domino was pretty lenient with laws; this had to be more than monster sightings. Tristan shivered.

"I really hope neither Ryou nor Yugi ended up there, guys," he said, his voice shaking just slightly. Kaiba finally snorted, crossing his legs as he sat on the couch. He didn't like talk of anything that made no sense. And this made no sense to him.

"Oh please. Will you idiots listen to yourselves!?" he demanded, and laughing sarcastically, "You're talking about _monsters_! The only monsters I care about are the ones my machines produce for Duel Monsters. I don't believe any of this garbage, and if you geeks are smart, you won't, either." They all expected that kind of response, but the coldness, the definite opposition in his voice, made them wince. He had no intention of hearing anything else out. Joey finally turned a cold glare on him. If anyone was going to challenge Kaiba, it'd be Joey.

"Then what happened to our friends, huh?" Joey demanded heatedly, crossing his arms, "Look, Kaiba, if you're gonna be difficult and bitch about how magic doesn't exist, give us a reason to back it up! So, moneybags, what do you think caused all this trouble?" Kaiba just raised a brow. He was used to Joey being defiant, but Joey actually brought up a point; he wasn't really giving them a reason to disbelieve what they'd seen. Nor did he even have one. He just _couldn't_ believe it. Finally, he waved the question away.

"How the hell do I know?" he replied coolly, "Look, I'm not saying this isn't real. But honestly? What you're suggesting is a possibility of magic being involved here. And I don't believe in it. I'm sorry, but I don't." That wasn't an actual reason, but no one could necessarily argue with it. It was Kaiba's choice not to believe it, and only rarely did one change his opinion on anything. Tristan decided to try and be that one.

"But there _is_ a possibility," Tristan stressed, "I went over to Ryou's the day after he disappeared. Place looked like a bomb had been set off. Windows were shattered, and everything had been upturned. Ryou's not strong enough to do that, and I don't know many who are."

"Couldn't Bakura have done that?" Tea asked him. Tristan stopped for a moment. That had crossed his mind, but somehow, he didn't think it was the old thief. Bakura had a specific pattern when dealing with trouble; hurting Ryou or breaking his stuff wasn't one of them. Besides, he had found a piece of green crystal on Ryou's floor. And he knew Ryou didn't own anything like that, even if his father happened to be an archeologist. He sighed heavily.

"It doesn't matter what happened. They're both still missing," he replied finally, and looked up at the ceiling, "We'd better go look for them. We're the only ones who might have any idea what happened to them, if what the reports on the news said are true." Tea blinked, and looked at Miho for a very long moment. Silence fell around the group as they pondered what they could actually do. No one suggested anything. Finally, Miho turned to Tristan very shyly, almost frightened by what he said.

"So… magic's real?" she asked. Tristan looked grave as he listened to her question. He nodded.

"It is. Or, it was," he told them, and he sounded too serious to be taken lightly, "My grandmother used to tell us about how Espers used to live here, some millennia ago until something happened that nearly destroyed the world. They left after that, but if this is happening… they might be coming back. Or it might be something else. But it's not human. It can't be." Miho nodded, though she seemed even more stricken than before. Her skin had gone white. For once, Kaiba frowned softly. Normally, he didn't care what happened to anyone around him, but Miho looked _sick_. As did Tea. And, damn it, he _was_ a gentleman. He stood up and glared down at Tristan.

"That's enough!" he exclaimed hotly, brows crossed in a tight V, "Can't you see how this is affecting _them_?" He pointed to Tea and Miho, who stared up at Kaiba in shock, "If _you_ want to go out there and kill yourself, be my guest. I don't care. But leave them out of this! They're terrified!" No one had ever expected Kaiba to say anything like that. And yet, he was. And he was furious. Tristan and Joey were speechless, unable to argue that Tea would've gone with them. It was clear she was too afraid to do so. Finally, Joey found his voice.

"Kaiba, why do you care about how they feel?" he asked quietly. Kaiba went to yell, but stopped himself. There was no reason; he just did. He looked at Tea. Then he swallowed hard, and stormed out of the room. Again, that left them speechless. Tea stood up, adjusting her vest slightly.

"Kaiba?" she called, but got no response. That wasn't a good sign. She heard a door slam, and knew that meant Kaiba left. She ran after him. It really wasn't safe to be outside, especially alone. Miho got up to follow her, leaving Joey and Tristan in the room. Neither felt good for what happened. Finally, Tristan looked at Joey, and without even speaking, they nodded in agreement.

"Let's go help him," they both said, walking to the front door, which stood wide open. Miho and Tea were already running down the sidewalk.

---

The sun was beginning to set by the time the boat was sailing down a narrow channel that branched off of the large ocean. Cliffs rose high above either side of them, so that the few rays of sun that _were_ cast, were cut short. They threw the water into intricate hues of pink and orange. Yugi had taken to watching these hues, as there wasn't much else they could do. Ryou had passed out by the time they found him; there really was nothing else to do, for no one wanted to wake him. He needed his rest. And they all needed to think, anyway. Sami still hadn't called any of them, and now it'd been hours since. They were beginning to worry again.

"We'll find her soon, right?" Yugi asked, looking from the water to his friends. Bakura had taken to placing a cold cloth on Ryou's head to try and lower the boy's rising temperature, and Ishtar was watching the water alongside Yugi. It was Ishtar who answered, narrowing his eyes as he thought about it.

"…I don't know," he finally said, and changed the subject as he looked over at Bakura, "How's he doing?" Bakura just frowned. Ryou hadn't been badly hurt, but he'd been poisoned by something. His fever was going down only slightly, and Bakura knew it'd come back if they didn't do something soon. But they had no medicine. It didn't look too good.

"…he'll be okay," Bakura replied at length, "Some rest should do him good. And once we find Sami, we can leave. And she could probably help him. God knows her magic can probably do that." Ishtar just nodded. He looked back out over the slowly shrinking sea. At one time, he'd been confident they'd find her. But now, with the sea stretching out behind them, and the cliffs rising above them, and with no sign of life save for them, he wasn't so sure he believed himself anymore. He sighed. And then screamed. Without warning, the boat hit something hard, throwing them all forward and onto the sand below. Yugi and Bakura, carrying Ryou, stumbled into the sand as Yami was knocked back into the water. Malik actually managed to slam headfirst into a tree, and slid down it onto the ground.

"_FUCK!_" he screamed, rubbing his head as Yugi slowly stood up, looking around. Wherever they landed, he wasn't sure of. But it looked like a beach. The sand was warm, and off-white. The sky was darkening now to a deep orange, with the hint of dark blue off in the distance. It wasn't long until nightfall.

"Where are we?" Yugi asked breathlessly. Bakura let Ryou's head rest on the sand, and frowned. It _looked_ like a beach, but he knew it wasn't. He could feel every trace of magic, though he noted that it was fading fast. He wondered what was happening; it all felt so potent beforehand.

"A beach. Somewhere in this insane world," Bakura replied grimly, and beckoned Ishtar over, "Where the hell are we?" Ishtar knew the signal. He took out his Millennium Rod and shined the light from it all over. A path wound up a cliff that stretched onward, up a hill from which Bakura couldn't see the top. It was the only place they could go; cliffs and sea surrounded everything else. He sighed. This looked grim for them. And he doubted Ryou was travel-ready.

"Should we go hiking?" Ishtar asked him, and the old thief hummed. What choice did they have? If they stayed there, the world would fade right in front of them. He couldn't see it, but Bakura knew it'd happen soon. Something had caused the world's source of power to die. And without it, this world was no longer stable. They had to get out. He looked at Yami, and the pharaoh nodded.

"We may as well," Yami finally said. Bakura sighed again, and bent down to pick Ryou up… except that Ryou was awake now. He was sitting up, blinking profusely as he looked around the beach. His head swam; he couldn't remember why they were on a beach, but he knew where they were and what they still had to do: Find Sami and run. Or just run, if they didn't find her soon enough. He hated the idea, but she'd have done it herself if the roles were reversed. And unfortunately, to keep up with her, he had to think like her.

"Let's go," he said, his voice hoarse from before, "We have to do something. It might as well be moving." With such a definite tone, no one wanted to argue with Ryou. He stood up, albeit clumsily, and they began to walk slowly up the path. His legs were still dizzy; he relied on Yugi to keep him steady. Soon, the bare cliffs gave way to a crystalline forest. Up close, the trees _were_ real. They were simply encased in what appeared to be ice. Each branch reflected the light from the Millennium Rod, illuminating their pathway. The path stretched onward.

"Has she called yet?" he whispered in Yugi's ear as they rounded a bend. Leaves had fallen here, leaves of the finest red Ryou had ever seen. He was almost sure that red was made from blood. It made him cringe on the inside. Yugi tore his eyes away from the trees and shook his head. That worried Ryou again. If she had even found his phone, she'd have tried looking at the log to find a number, at the very least. What the hell happened to her, then?

"Relax. We'll find her," Malik assured, but he himself wasn't so sure of that. As much as they kept telling each other they'd find her safely, there had been no clues as to where she'd been. Not even unseen ones, like certain influxes of magic. Bakura would've found _those_. But there had been nothing. It was as though she had died, and they didn't know it. Quickly, Ryou forced the thought away. She wasn't dead. She _couldn't_ be dead. Sami Winchester had to be stronger than that.

"Think this path will lead to her?" Yugi joked. Ryou almost wanted to smack him for that. The path thinned a little, the trees giving way to a dark blue sky now. Stars twinkled faintly overhead, and they now saw a light in the distance. Running toward it, Ryou suddenly noticed he smelled something entirely different from trees. He smelled roses and juniper. And leather. And gunpowder. And… magic. He smelled magic, most of all. Finally, they came to the end of the path, and there stood what was causing the light. A giant cathedral stood before them, its oak doors closed, but light spilling out of the stained glass above them. Ryou's eyes widened. This was where all of the smells were coming from.

"A… a cathedral," Bakura breathed, shaking, "But why here?"

"Maybe Radical Retro was religious," Malik joked. But no one laughed. Ryou walked up the steps and pressed an ear to the door. Silence came from the other side. His insides shook. Something was in there. That much he knew, but what it was, he couldn't place. He'd have to go inside for that one. He put a hand on the door. It was cold. The knob turned just a bit too easily, and silently, the door swung open. In the pale moonlight, the first row of pews were revealed, a red carpet starting from the door, going inward. But how far back, he couldn't see yet. He opened the door fully, throwing light into the otherwise dark room. Nothing stirred.

"Sami?" he called. He turned on an ancient light switch, and candles flared on. He gasped. Not only was Sami there, but there was a figure with her, too. A blonde figure, face covered in shadow this time. Sami had been looking at him, but now her gaze was on Ryou. She seemed strangely distant. Ryou was worried again.

"…Ryou," she said quietly. The man turned, his good eye looking at Ryou with a coldness that wasn't human. Ryou's blood froze with such a look. Malik, however, wasn't nearly as intimidated.

"Why the hell haven't you been looking for us!?" he demanded, marching up the aisle, "Do you have any idea how damn worried we all were!? What were you doing here!?" Sami didn't wince from his tone. She watched him silently as he stormed up to them both. Then she looked down. Ryou noticed she seemed saddened by something. What happened here, he wondered.

"…Radical is dead," she stated quietly, "And a poor man he was. He wasn't evil." Ryou's shoulders dropped. Did that mean she killed Radical Retro? No… if she had, they'd have felt it. She'd have used magic. Ryou was sure of it. But Radical hadn't even screamed at his death. It must've happened so quickly, that Radical had no time to react. With magic, he would've had a few seconds to counter her. What killed him? Ryou's eyes fell on the blonde man. He stared back, both eyes cold. Ryou feared that stare.

"I killed him," he said darkly, his lips tight, "And I'll kill him again if I have to." Ryou found he was shaking with each of this man's words. He looked at Sami. She wasn't telling the man to stop and leave them alone. She was watching him. Then she turned back to Ryou. What on earth did this mean to her?

"With Radical Retro Specter dead, this world will collapse in very little time," she told him gravely, "We have to run before we're destroyed with it. This man… knows a way out. We have to take it." Ryou looked from Sami, to the man next to her. His skin was nearly white now. And his shoulders were tense. And those eyes… they bored into Ryou. He was glad he couldn't hear the man's thoughts. He was sure many threats were being said. He noted the man's hand tapping the butt of a pistol.

"Then should we go?" Ryou asked, eager as a beaver to get away from this man, whoever he was. He didn't trust him. Ryou remembered his nightmare well; the man had said clearly that he hated Ryou. Sami's lips pursed nervously. Then, she shook her head.

"We should, but I want answers," she replied, and turned to the man, "Please, come with us. You can help us. You can help stop them." Ryou frowned suddenly. He felt his stomach turn as he heard Sami ask this man for help. Why was she? He was a horrible person to come here and kill Radical for no reason. He had haunted _her_, and threatened Ryou. He didn't deserve to go with them anywhere. Ryou felt his fists clench angrily. If he were just a bit bolder, he'd have knocked the man's head off. The man just smirked, looking at Sami. That horrible scar was visible in the wane light.

"I can't," he stated simply, "It can't be done. Sorry." That was it? That was his reason for ignoring her? Ryou felt his anger grow. It was such a hatred, such a fury, that he wasn't sure where it was even coming from. But he hated this man as much as the man hated him. He wasn't stupid. Sami was _sad_; she was _terrified_. And this _man_, this horrible nightmare, was confusing her, taunting her, hell, he was practically insulting her for it. Ryou wanted him dead.

"Then leave us alone," Ryou found himself saying, "And get out of our way." He felt everyone's eyes lock on his. He finally realized what he'd said. He shook, turning slowly to Sami again. She looked mortified. Obviously, she hadn't wanted him to speak. And damn it, he spoke. Next, he risked a glance at the man, and knew he'd be dead in a matter of seconds. The man looked as shocked as Sami. His thin brows were carved in a hard V, his eyes narrowed angrily. But his hand wasn't on the pistol he carried. He took a deep breath. It turned into several deep breaths. He had to get himself under control.

"…Ureth," he mumbled, and a small portal appeared behind him. Sami watched him with horror in her eyes; Ryou must've done something atrocious for that to happen. The man just looked away, shaking his head. He stepped toward the portal, and then stopped himself. He forced himself to say, "This portal will take you home. Go there, and damned be it, Sith, live your new life. I don't care." Then, he stepped through. Ryou watched Sami. Her eyes watered. She looked ready to collapse. Ryou turned to the portal, to where the man had left. He wasn't coming back. And Ryou was just fine with that.

"Let's go," he growled, and stepped forward. Then he heard Yugi gasp. He turned around and saw Sami had actually collapsed. Her eyes were wide open, as well. Ryou's scowl dropped, and he knelt beside her, putting on hand on her head. She felt cold, and Ryou became concerned with that. Realistically, that wasn't something to pass out on. But then what was her problem? The man's last words echoed in Ryou's mind again as he wondered this. '_I don't care_,' he had said, '_Live your new life_.' What did that mean, though? Did Sami know? She looked absolutely shaken with it, whatever it meant. Bakura knelt down as well, his face gaunt in the passing events.

"She's unconscious," he stated unhelpfully. Ryou already knew that. He sighed, and then picked her up. There wasn't another way for her to leave if she was out. He noted how heavy she felt; her wings and tail alone almost made him drop her. But he kept her up.

"Let's go," he said again, and not a second too soon. A tremor began to sound, rocking the cathedral and shattering the stained glass. It fell to the floor in a mystical chime. Another tremor, this one much stronger, erupted and began to rip the floor apart. Ryou understood what was happening; the world was collapsing just as Sami had. He didn't hesitate. He rushed through the portal, and back to his own world.

After making sure everyone had been safe, and getting Sami safely in her room to rest, Ryou had seen to it that someone took control of the ship to get back on track. Bakura had volunteered that duty, if only because he felt he was most qualified. That was fine with Ryou. Yugi had decided he'd watch over Sami, and Yami was on the deck with Ishtar and Malik, both of whom were piecing together what Sami had said about Radical Retro. That left him alone in the large room with Bakura. And when the thief had the moment, he let go of the wheel and came to Ryou abruptly. His stride was so certain, he must've been planning this meeting in his head for some time. Ryou looked up from his book to face the gaunt spirit.

"What the hell was that about?" Bakura demanded sternly. Ryou frowned. Bakura wasn't happy with something, and he knew it was about their encounter with the blonde man in the cathedral. Ryou wasn't about to apologize. He was glad the man had left.

"What was what about?" Ryou asked, deciding to play innocent for the moment. He didn't feel much like playing himself. Bakura's frown deepened.

"You know what," he stated grimly, "About that man. Why the hell did you say that? Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Ryou's eyes softened a little. Now that Bakura was speaking, and now that he was being so serious, it dawned on Ryou that he might've actually made a terrible mistake. One that must've cost Sami a lot. That explained her absolute horror with him. Instantly, shame crept into him.

"I… I just…" Ryou began, unable to find the right words, "He… he was… I… I wanted him gone!" That wasn't enough for Bakura, and deep down, Ryou knew it wouldn't be. Bakura's eyes hardened. It was clear that he intended to have this talk since Sami first fell. He sat next to Ryou, and Ryou wanted to inch away in fear. Bakura wasn't fun when he was angry. And right now, he was beyond angry, no matter how controlled he was.

"You are a child," he snapped, "And you've behaved so childishly, I'm ashamed of you, quite frankly." Ryou looked down, his eyes watering. He didn't realize he'd done anything wrong, but Bakura was already speaking again, "Have you no manners in that head of yours? That _man_ was a part of Sami's _past_! And _you_, this little boy that she _barely knows_, are going to repay her for her help by _spitting at him!?_ Ryou, what in hell were you thinking about!?" Ryou didn't want to answer. His shoulders trembled. He really _had_ disgraced Sami with that move. It hadn't just been him. Bakura waited patiently, but Ryou felt the anger boiling in the old spirit.

"I… I didn't want him near her," he said quietly, "He was making her angry."

"That is for _her_ to act on, not you!" Bakura scolded furiously, "Whatever fantasies you've concocted, whatever feeling you have, ignore them! For all your youth and all your foolishness, you've disgraced that poor woman! And for what? To _protect_ her? Ryou, you've gone too far. I should've nipped this in the bud when you asked me for advice!" Ryou felt his own anger rise. Anger for the fact that Bakura was treating him like a child. Anger for the fact that _that man_ wasn't the one to blame. And anger at himself, for what he had obviously done. He stood up, his fists clenched.

"_WHO I CARE ABOUT IS MY BUSINESS, AND MINE ALONE!_" he finally screamed, and his breathing became ragged. Bakura blinked slowly, and just as slowly, he stood. Ryou was scared now. Bakura was being deliberate. His face didn't look gaunt. He looked _enraged_. His eyes burned. But he wasn't going to harm Ryou.

"You are a child," Bakura repeated, this time his voice a whisper, "If you've decided, and you still _think_ you love… oh no, I don't believe you do… _her_, then be careful. She is not a child. She is a proud woman, Ryou, and she will tear you to shreds for this. Do not think she doesn't know what you've done. She knows too well, and you are a damned fool to think you were helping her." Ryou wanted to kill him now. But, that would just prove the spirit's point further. Ryou _was_ being a child. Sami had been perfectly fine until he butted in. Albeit she was scared, but she had been fine. Now, she was unconscious. She was so terrified, so shocked, that she couldn't take what the man had said to her before leaving like he did. And it was all Ryou's fault.

"What can I do?" he whispered. Bakura's voice didn't soften in the least. No, this was serious to him. He pointed up the stairs.

"You go up those stairs and apologize before I take a whip to your sorry ass," he stated, and then turned away. Ryou knew a dismissal when he heard one. Quietly, shame-faced and terrified, he made his way to the stairs. If Bakura were this mad, he didn't want to know how Sami felt. She would be far worse. Far, far, far worse.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After leaving the world Radical Retro had created, Ryou finds himself plagued with more than just having to kill a Mystic. For all the anger he felt for the mysterious man, now he's shamed Sami in front of him. With Bakura furious at him, he now must seek Sami out and hope she's doing well. But will she forgive him? Does she even know, as Bakura stated? And, will that man return yet again? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	17. Strategy: Enter Katt

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi said that Sith's power was impressive, but it wasn't his style. What a Stiffly Stifferson.

Some time had passed since Katsaiga peered into her orb to see how things had unfolded. And, now that she had, she regretted it deeply. Radical Retro Specter had been killed, killed by the man that Sith Winchester had traveled with so many years ago. It pained her to watch; she had hoped that the magician would've been able to speak with Sith, tell her what she needed to know, before he was done in. Obviously, her old friend had other ideas. He had killed Radical, in a rage and anger that Katsaiga couldn't begin to explain. Then, there was her own daughter, Amber. Amber hadn't called Radical Retro at all; she merely threw Sith into the portal. Which was as dangerous as it was stupid. Sith wasn't one to be messed with, even though now she was currently out of commission. Damn it all, everything was going to hell.

"My lady," came a deep voice, "Are you well? You look ill." Katsaiga looked up calmly to see a young guard, with blazing red hair, stand before her. Unlike many of her men, he wasn't so easily fooled. Nor did she intend to fool him. She sighed, letting her orb drop to the ground.

"Sith… dear lady Sith is at odds now," she said quietly, "And she will not be joining us in this war, I'm afraid. At least, not anymore." The guard blinked quickly, wondering if he'd even heard right. Sith Winchester? Not in the battle that had been raging since her exile? That seemed too unrealistic to be true. Something had to be wrong.

"What happened, my lady?" he inquired worriedly. Katsaiga smiled gently. Of all of her knights, she respected this one, Amarant, the most. He had been there for that terrible war, that terrible battle that nearly killed this world now. He had been the one to save Katsaiga from the onslaught that occurred afterwards, slaughtering nearly all of the Espers and every human on that battlefield. And now, he was the one who understood what must be done. With their master, with this world… with Sith Winchester herself. Katsaiga almost pitied him. He was throwing his life away for it.

"The boy… that boy has disgraced her and caused her great anguish," she replied carefully, "She was close to… she nearly had the answers she sought out, and Ryou destroyed them. She couldn't handle such a shock. In less than a second, he tore it away. And she can't get it back. Not now." Katsaiga sounded exhausted as she said this. Amarant wasn't surprised. Of all the Mystics, Katsaiga had opposed this from the very beginning. And now, it was playing out as she had said it would. And Sith was losing sorely.

"Tell me she will win!" he cried, but Katsaiga shook her head, her eyes watering only slightly. Definitely not enough for Amarant to see, but enough for her. Thank Bahamut Rath wasn't with her; her master would kill her if she'd seen this.

"She… will neither win nor lose now," she stated weakly, "He's shattered the little resolve she had. In this case, he is now the bigger threat." She stood up suddenly, all traces of tiredness gone. She walked down the aisle, and stopped just beside Amarant, "I ask you, as a friend… and as an old adviser to Sith… kill Ryou." Amarant's eyes widened, his normally calm, blue eyes now filled with terror.

"What!?" he exclaimed, quite sure he misheard. But he hadn't. Katsaiga looked stern. And she looked sane. She wasn't mad.

"If she is to win… and save not just this world, but Oblivion, then she must know who she is and what she was running from," she explained grimly, "She is the greatest source of magic in this universe, greater than even our master. Ryou… through stupidity and youth, has ruined her chance to understand herself. To know what happened that haunts her so. He is a threat to her. Destroy him. Save Sith." She let out a saddened sigh, and hung her head, "If you love this world, and you love me, you will save my queen from this." Amarant couldn't argue. He departed immediately to fulfill his quest, all the while praying that Sith could save herself.

---

Sami was lying in her bed, eyes wide as she stared up at the white ceiling. It'd all happened so quickly, she wondered if that other world had been a dream. She didn't know what the others had gone through, but she found herself not caring a lick about them. She had come so close to the answers she wanted. She had come so close to asking this blonde man what he knew. He would've answered her. And then Ryou came and ripped it all to ribbons. Reality had crashed around her again. Reality that what she had once been, if anything, was no longer important. To her, or to anyone else around her. That part of herself that she didn't know was gone. The man's final words hit her all too hard: '_Live your new life. I don't care_.' That shattered her. She didn't even know who this man was, but that was too much. And, Ryou had caused it.

"…Ryou," she whispered, eyes watering again. She'd fainted when Ryou brought her into the ship, but she awoke just as he left the room. That'd been some time ago, and she was glad he didn't come back. Right then, she hated him. If he'd kept his juvenile mouth closed, she would've answered her questions. But fate decided not to rest with her, for the door slowly opened. Sami shifted to see who it was. It was Ryou. Immediately, her eyes narrowed.

"Sami, you're awake," he whispered, in awe of it. She'd been out for some time, at least according to his mind. But she wasn't groggy. She was wide awake. She must've been up longer than he thought. And she looked angry.

"Get out," she growled, her voice hoarse. Ryou winced. There was malice in her words.

"Sami, please…"

"_Get out!_" she demanded, more furiously this time, "Leave me alone!" Ryou's fists clenched. This was getting out of control. There was no need for her to be so rude to him. He wanted to protest, but the door opened again. Yami popped his head in, smiling warmly when he saw Sami was awake. But the smile wasn't returned. He turned immediately to Ryou, who looked ready to snap with the pressure Bakura put on him. It was just supposed to be a simple apology. And now Ryou couldn't say a damn to her. He turned away from her, and to Yami.

"What is it?" he demanded harshly, not caring how he sounded. Yami blinked, wondering what had placed Ryou in such a bad mood. He waved it off. This was by far more important. Ryou's little drama could wait.

"Bakura wants you downstairs," Yami replied grimly, "Now." He left the room, but didn't close the door. Ryou looked back at Sami. She didn't turn to him, nor did she make any move to get off the bed. He just shook his head and stormed out. Let her be a bitch for now. He'd deal with her later. He walked down the hall, and descended the stairs to the first floor. Ishtar, Malik, and Yugi were all in the living room, all of them worried and fidgeting in their seats. Yami seemed perturbed by something out of the window, but Bakura was by far the worst off. His skin went white as he looked angrily at a monitor near the helm of the ship. Ryou walked in cautiously, aware that all eyes were on him.

"Bakura, what's wrong?" he asked gently. Bakura just snorted. Then he turned so stiffly, Ryou barely recognized the action as being one from him. He pointed to a seat in a corner.

"Sit," he growled, and when Ryou did so, he explained, "Musuta's destroyed. Just got word in from someone there. It was wrecked a week ago." Ryou's eyes widened. Sami should've been down to hear this. But she didn't appear at the steps. Ryou just shook his head again. He couldn't believe the luck they were having now. It went from bad to worse in less than ten seconds.

"What!?" he asked, standing up suddenly, "Destroyed!? By who? By Katsaiga!?" Bakura shook his head, and Ryou sat back down. If it hadn't been Katsaiga… who was it?

"No. Another Mystic," the old spirit growled darkly, "Came and just blew the place apart looking for Sami. No one saw her face, but it wasn't who we're looking for." That was just wonderful. Not only were they running from one Mystic, Ryou had the distinct impression they'd be fighting two. At least two of them. There could be even more than that. That led him to worrying about the villagers in Musuta. He prayed many of them survived. Including…

"Is Sami's sister safe?" Malik asked, and Ryou looked at him. He hadn't expected Malik, of any of them, to care. But obviously, the news was shaking Malik up as well. Bakura frowned for a second, and slowly nodded. That, at least, was good news. Sami _needed_ her sister's help.

"Yes. She's the one who called me about it," he replied, and grinned, "Seems she's been trying to get in touch with Sami ever since the woman's been captured by Katsaiga. Now that we're close, she got a signal. It's a damn shame Sami didn't pick it up, though. That'd have made her happy." He looked directly at Ryou as he spoke, and Ryou felt his shame return. He still hadn't apologized to Sami, and Bakura wouldn't be happy until he did. Thankfully, Bakura was a gentleman… sometimes. He said nothing on the matter, but everyone felt his attention being focused purely on Ryou.

"So, what do we do now?" Ishtar asked, glancing sideways at Ryou as he spoke. Bakura finally turned from the boy, to the spirit. His frown returned again as he went back to the wheel.

"Nothing. We're landing soon," he replied, and added, "Whatever business you people have to do, do it before we land. And damn it, someone go make sure Sami's still alive." That was their dismissal. Not wanting to anger Bakura, everyone took it.

Ten minutes later, they all stood outside of Musuta. Sami had finally forced herself to move, and with her dog, descended the ship onto the packed earth. She made sure to stay away from Ryou. Ryou tried to ignore that as he looked on at the ruins of what had once been a fair city. Almost nothing remained; there were no houses left, and very little land. Anything that did stand were in piles of rubble and ash. Like Algon, there was no beauty left. Whoever destroyed the city made fair sure of that. Yugi bent down to pick at a scorched stick that was poking out of the ground. It crumbled upon his touch.

"This… this is too much," he whispered, and turned to Sami, "Why would they attack _here_?" Sami took a minute to respond, moving slowly, speaking slowly. That worried Yugi a great deal.

"To retaliate," she said lowly, her voice flat, "You know nothing of before I came by. We were already locked in a battle with those bastards long before we met." Then, she walked ahead, into the city. The dust obscured her after several feet. Yugi blinked profusely. He was used to her being full of confidence. Arrogance, even. But this was worse for him than the sight of the city. She didn't bother to explain anything. And now, she was leaving them there. He sighed, and Malik clapped his back.

"She'll be fine, buddy," he assured the small boy, "Let's go before we lose her." Yugi didn't argue. They walked into the city, Ryou being the last one in. Everything had been decimated for some time, though the smoke of the onslaught still lingered. It hurt Ryou's nose. As they walked, they saw the residents of the city trying to salvage anything of use from the ruins. There was nothing. Ryou wasn't surprised at all. Many paid little attention to the group as they passed, but some did look up. Like Sami, their eyes were cold and judging. It sent chills up and down Ryou's spine to see them. Did they know what happened to Sami?

"What's going on?" Yugi whispered to Bakura, "They keep glaring at Ryou." Ryou's blood froze with those words. Malik shrugged, grinning it away.

"They probably think we're funny-looking," he said easily, waving to an old Esper as they passed, "Think they're all Chesiers?" Ryou didn't want to know. If they were, they'd learn what had happened soon enough. Bakura was angry enough as it was; any non-human would easily be worse to Ryou.

"We are," came Sami's voice, and Ryou looked ahead. There, before them, she stood. She looked grim and forbidding underneath the pale light of the day, and her frown had worsened since then. Next to her stood a woman who looked very much like her in the facial features. But, her hair was red, and cut short. And, unlike Sami, she wore no gloves, and on her legs were shorts, not pants. Blue tiger marks ran down her bare legs, ending in two well-built, brown boots. Like Sami, she looked used to adventure. Bakura stopped before her and smiled, nodding to the second woman as well.

"Good to see you up," he said calmly, "Feeling better?"

"No," she replied simply, and patted the second woman on the back, "This is my sister, Katt." Katt just smiled, waving to them all. Malik felt his cheeks redden already, and Ishtar simply nudged him hard to keep him from talking. Like Sami, Katt's eyes were steel jade, and they rested directly on Ryou. For just a second, a frown flickered across. But it passed before Ryou knew what it was.

"Nice to meet you all," she said, her voice amazingly airy compared to Sami's, "I see you've had the privilege of traveling with my sister, eh? Not many live to say they actually enjoy it." Malik just snickered, causing another nudge from Ishtar. But Ryou found it hard to laugh. He had already seen why. But before he spoke, Sami looked over at her sister.

"Not many live to tell of it in the first place," she growled, "Because not many listen to me, and they wind up dead. Either from nature itself, or from my hands." She glanced at Ryou darkly, and he swallowed hard. He knew the threat when he heard it. He remembered she still carried her sword. Trying to break out of Sami's gaze, he turned to Malik. Malik seemed to have no fear for Sami's words; everyone doubted he even heard them. He stepped toward Katt, and grinned widely. No one was surprised at what came next.

"My name's Malik!" he said brightly, "I've been helping your sister out since day one. Nice to meet you!" Katt just raised an eyebrow, and looked to Sami skeptically. Sami shook her head, indicating that Malik had just lied. Katt laughed, and smiled as she turned back to him.

"Is that so, eh?" she asked kindly, and shrugged, "Good for us, then! Now, how've you been faring since you ran off, sis?" She turned back to Sami, her smile cheerful and bright. It looked so wrong next to Sami's grim expression. Sami herself let out a sigh, crossing her arms stiffly across her chest.

"Not good, but we're alive," she replied tiredly, "What happened here, though? Place looks like a bomb hit it, and hit it dead on." That was an understatement. The place looked like _several_ bombs had been set off, many just to make sure the place was dead. Katt's smile faded rapidly. Sadly, she took a deep breath and gestured to the entire city. Or, what was left of it.

"Another Mystic came and just began to set fire to everything," Katt explained sadly, "She had her own army, and they took everything from us. We tried to hold her off, but… all of the humans are dead. The few werewolves we did have fled to head back to Nesce. All of the Espers are in outrage. They too ran back to Nesce to discuss this… and the Chesiers… we're all ready to collapse as well." Sami turned to look. Katt was right. Many of the few residents remaining looked like they were going to drop dead soon. Her fists clenched. This wasn't right. And it magnified the problem. There was only one saving grace to this: It couldn't have been Katsaiga's doing.

"And you're sure it isn't Katsaiga," Sami concluded. Katt nodded, and her mouth thinned appropriately.

"It wasn't. Of everything, I'm sure of that," Katt replied bitterly, "Doesn't matter anyway. I'm going to find this bitch and slaughter her after we deal with Katsaiga." Ryou wasn't sure just how alike Katt and Sami truly were, but he knew they both shared a lust for battle. It scared him; if her sister found out what he'd done in the other world they'd been to, he was done for. But Sami simply waved Katt down and shook her head.

"We'll deal with her in time," she replied sternly, "Katt, who else is dealing with this problem?" Ryou glanced at Sami questioningly, but she ignored him. As did Katt.

"I have IRPO coming to do some reconnaissance after we move everyone here down to Duran," Katt explained, and Sami nodded with approval, even if her face didn't show it, "S-P-K offered to do some investigation, but I didn't think they'd be overly effective. The Mystic left very little physical evidence of the attack." Sami wasn't surprised. Many magical attacks left little physical remains, unless the victim actually lived through it. And that was so rare, she didn't consider it much of a deal. The residents here had seen nearly nothing; anything S-P-K did find would have to be physical for their boss to even believe it. Or so she'd been told.

"You did what you could," Sami finally said, actually smiling this time, "Katt, thank you." Katt's bright smile returned as well, and for a moment, the two sisters stared at each other. Then, Katt broke their gaze and turned to the rest of the group as the residents behind them began to sort out what they found for when they'd be leaving. Which would be soon, from how Katt spoke.

"And what about them?" Katt asked, indicating Ryou and his friends, "They coming with us, sis?" Sami looked pointedly at Ryou, but she didn't answer for him. He understood why. She wasn't going to take that responsibility anymore. He couldn't blame her, personally. He nodded and stepped forward.

"Yes," he said for everyone, "We're going." Katt looked at Malik, then Yugi, and then at the three spirits. Everyone nodded in agreement. Then, and only then, did Sami actually address any of them. She looked at them all with such a gaunt expression, she actually looked as stiff as marble from it. Was she forcing herself to speak to them?

"You realize that there will be no turning back," she said darkly, her arms slowly unfolding as one hand went to her sword, "There is no running away. There will be no coward. Either you fight, or _I_ will kill you. There is no room for obstacles here." Ryou wished she'd just say she was angry and stop subtly threatening them all. But she was stern. She said nothing more as she waited for a response, if any. Ryou just snorted.

"We're _going_, Sami," he replied, just as pointedly as she was being. She wasn't amused with it. She leaned closer to him until they were simply inches apart. He smelled roses and juniper again, and wrinkled his nose from it.

"Then I hope for your sake, you die quickly," she whispered, and pulled back so suddenly, Ryou almost fell over. His fists clenched again. If he hadn't been so worried about death, he'd have sent her into the pavement for her words. But she had turned away from him again. And he hated her for it. To him, he'd done nothing wrong to deserve such a cold reaction.

"How touching of you, lady Sith," came a voice from behind. Sami turned, her eyes wide as she drew her sword. There stood a man with crimson hair, in white armor, his sword drawn as well. But he was in no pose to attack them. Sami's eyebrow rose questioningly as she felt Katt reach for a dagger behind her.

"Who are you?" she asked sternly, almost harshly. The man smiled weakly, his blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight.

"My name is Amarant, and I am a servant to Katsaiga," he replied, "And to you, lady Sith. We are not your foes here." Sami's expression didn't soften as the man spoke to her. Ryou just watched silently. Right now might decide if Sami lived, as she aimed her sword higher along the man's slender form. Was she really going to strike him? Ryou didn't doubt that for a second. But for right now, she kept her arm steady.

"Not my foe? Then who is?" she demanded again, "Tell me if you wish to live."

"The one you seek is a woman named Rath. She is the one who is destroying this world with her power," he explained, "Katsaiga has been forced to track you down, but she wishes only to speak with you. She has never wanted to kill you, lady Sith. For, long ago, you used to be friends."

"We have never been friends with you traitors!" Katt roared angrily, scaring Ryou as he stepped back. She had yelled with such ferocity, such anger, that it even caused Amarant to stagger back. But Sami held her hand up, and Katt fell silent. Something about the name 'Rath' had reached her. Her face crossed a number of bizarre emotions, but it never quite settled on one. It remained neutral after a moment. Obviously, whatever connection she had made, she dismissed. Ryou was actually impressed; her ability to control herself was decent. But how long would it hold?

"I implore you to explain yourself immediately," she said forcefully, but not unkindly. Ryou glanced at the older man, who smiled weakly, as though he had expected her to ask him this. He nodded.

"I will," he replied, and for a moment, it felt as though the sky darkened with the pressure of the words Amarant was about to speak, "Long ago, a war began between the Espers. They fought, and nearly destroyed themselves. It was… within this world that this terrible war was fought. After that day… Espers split themselves into two races; only the eldest were allowed to retain their titles."

"That'd explain the Chesiers, eh?" Malik asked, but Sami silenced him with a wave of her hand. Amarant nodded and continued.

"The two races, struggling for power, fought each other, on and off, for thousands of years since then," he continued calmly, his voice firm, "But only one such has the power to stop this terrible war. Lady Sith, we beli…" He was cut short. Blood, black blood, suddenly sprouted from him in a long stream as a blue shard erupted from his back. Katt screamed as he staggered over, and then onto the floor. Sami's wings tensed immediately, and she drew her sword again, arcing it over her head. Even though she had magic, she didn't need it to know something evil was there. Ryou looked around wildly, but no one was there, save for them. And yet, a voice permeated from somewhere, and nowhere at the same time. This voice held such an evil, it made Ryou's skin crawl.

"Well now, if it isn't Lady Winchester again," this voice said, in a smooth tone, "I'm glad to see you've made it far, but I'm tired of this game. It isn't time for you to know the answers you seek, little _rodent_." Malik looked to Sami as the voice spoke. Her lips were tight, her face pale with terror. And yet, she wasn't shaking. She looked around carefully, as though waiting for something to spring up and attack.

"Where are you!?" she demanded, "Who are you? Show yourself, coward!" The voice laughed.

"Defiant as ever. You've always been a thorn in my side, little rodent," the voice said, "Well, then here are my rules. Come to Domino. That is our final battlefield. And decide: is Ryou worth protecting? Or is your life more important than his? Decide this, Lady Winchester. And don't run. I will destroy this world, and destroy the man you seek as well if you dare to run from me." Then, the voice was gone. But this time, Sami fell to the ground. It was too much. Ryou was at her side in an instant, along with Katt. They helped her to stand. She was horribly unstable.

"What the hell was _that_ about?" Malik asked her, as they slowly began to lead her back to the ship, "Was that Katsaiga?" Sami shook her head as her dog rushed toward them, growling when he saw the state his master was in.

"No… that was not her," she replied darkly, her voice low with weakness, "That… that was… Rath…" Her voice sounded strange when she spoke the name. Ryou hummed, wondering what was going on now. Who was their real enemy? More importantly, what would Sami actually choose? Whoever that was, they threatened her. They threatened her badly, and she had no choices left. Ryou knew the answer, but he asked anyway. He had to be sure she knew what she would do now.

"Sami… what are we doing?" he asked firmly, as they helped her get onto the ship. Bakura took the wheel for her, and slowly, she looked up at Ryou. Her eyes looked red, as though she'd been feverish for some time. It looked ghastly against her white skin. Her entire face looked gaunt; almost dead. Ryou realized that finally, _finally_, exhaustion was getting the better of her. But her answer was definite.

"We go to Domino," she replied, "We fight them. We win. Or we die." That was answer enough for Ryou. He patted her back, and then turned to Bakura. The old thief nodded, and turned the wheel as the ship began to rise into the air. Soon, it would be decided. Not just whether Ryou lived, but of their world. It would decide who was far stronger: Sami, or their enemy. It would decide if the world would live to see another day, or be destroyed in one fell swoop. It would decide the harbinger of trouble. And all they could do was go nearer to it. It would be all too soon.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Now that Katt has finally joined her sister, Ryou now finds himself heading home. But this will be no home reunion for them. No, this will decide if Ryou lives to see another day. What will Sami choose, and can they stop the Mystics? If Katsaiga is not their enemy, who will they be facing? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	18. The worst of Times

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi said that if I really wanted, I could use Malik as a cameo in my comics, but that's not good enough.

Sami drove fast. Of anything Ryou could say to describe the drive over to Domino, fast was it. Whatever shock she felt over the past day evaporated with Amarant's words, as well as his death. And, as quickly as she moved, Ryou could still see that a great storm was about to erupt inside of the city; clouds were already thickening as they drove closer. Sami had said that it was a sign of a terrible battle. And if Katt hadn't agreed, Ryou might've thought she had been superstitious. But Katt did agree, and so did Bakura, once he handed the ship to Sami's command. And, of everyone, Ryou trusted the old thief the most. He kept close to Bakura and Katt as Sami drove the ship. Katt especially took to explaining everything to him that Sami left out, especially about what they've been trying to do for the past five years concerning the Mystics.

"I can't remember what happened when Sami and I first came here, but I'm sure that what's happening now is connected," she finally said, with a heavy sigh, "If I'd known… this battle was going to be this extreme, I'd have told Sami to forget about them. I'm not sure this is worth it." Ryou frowned. Katt had seemed so bright, so confident before they left for Domino. Amarant must've affected her badly, as well. Ryou wanted to pat her shoulder, but she looked so guarded as she spoke. He wondered if _she'd_ ever pulled a dagger on someone like her sister had.

"Will you and Sami be okay?" he asked quietly, and when Katt looked over, he added, "Sami… she… Katt, she's been out of it. I don't know how she usually is, but she's not her now." Katt gave him a long stare. Her mouth tightened a little. Ryou was sure, beyond a doubt, that she knew what had happened and what had bothered Sami so much.

"You really humiliated her back there, Ryou," she replied in a low voice, "I don't know what happened, but she's pissed. That man? She knew him once, a long time ago. When she said she might be older than she is, she wasn't lying. We're both older than we look, though she doesn't know that. Nor will I tell her. It won't help her right now." Ryou hummed quietly. He had expected that much, but he wondered just how old Sami truly was. For that matter, she could be over one thousand. It seemed unlikely, but Katt was serious. For a time, neither said a word. Then, Ryou glanced over, remembering what the man had said to Sami before she left. '_Live your new life_.' What had he meant?

"Katt… was that man… was she in love with him?" he asked, wishing to anyone who'd listen that that wasn't the case. But, slowly, Katt nodded. Ryou felt the wind being knocked right out of him. Now he knew why that man said he hated him. He knew. He knew Ryou cared about her. And he didn't like that at all.

"Yes," Katt replied quietly, "It… was a short relationship. But she did love him. In her own way, she did." Ryou frowned, and wanted to turn away. But he didn't need Katt to know how he felt on the matter. The fact that he even asked was clue enough. He just wondered what could've happened to erase Sami's memory, while Katt's was still in tact. But that was another story for another time. Right now, Domino was looming close, and he had no idea how they'd be battling.

"…Katt?" he whispered, and Katt looked over at him again, this time sadly, "How will you and Sami be fighting? Do you fight the same way?" Katt blinked, wondering why he was going onto such a radical change of subject. Then, she shrugged. He had his own reasons.

"No. I use short knives and daggers," she replied, "Sami uses large swords. Her favorite happens to be the Bastard Sword. I believe her own blade was forged upon a likeness of it. It's a relatively thinner blade than the Zweihander, and it's much longer than a broadsword. I always thought a falchion suited her more; she likes to fight with two weapons, and the Bastard sword is too big to allow that skillfully. But she loves the blade." The sheer admiration with which Katt spoke of her sister pointed to the fact that Sami was indeed as skilled as Ryou feared. She _had_ to be quite older than him. No child her age could wield such weapons with her level of skill. But with two able fighters like them, surely the Mystics were afraid… right?

"So we _can_ stop those Mystics, right?" he asked her. Katt hesitated. That wasn't good. He hadn't been sure of Sami's chances, but with Katt, they seemed unbeatable. Clearly, that wasn't true.

"…I'm not sure, Ryou," she replied slowly, "My sister is skilled… but she's not immortal. There are many Mystics after her. And there's only one of her. The odds are entirely against her now." That sounded even worse than what Ryou expected to hear. He couldn't believe his ears! Was Katt saying Sami would _lose_?

"Then what's the point!?" he blurted out, and Katt reeled back, "I'm not letting her die!" Silence fell, all across the large room, as Ryou clamped his mouth shut. He'd said too much now. He risked a look at Sami. She was grave, her skin still quite pale. Her eyes seemed to judge his soul simply by his words. He didn't want to know what she was thinking of him right then. Finally, she spoke. Her voice held a power that Ryou never expected.

"The point? Don't be a fool, Ryou," she said, "The point is to save Oblivion. The mere fact that it's collapsing as we speak should be reason enough for you." She sounded so disappointed, so disapproving of him, her words actually hurt him. He looked away. Likewise, she returned to the helm of the ship, Bakura beside her as they navigated. Domino was very close, now. Thunder rumbled heavily, and they were so close that the ancient ship rocked from the blasts of lightning. Sami's mood didn't improve, but the ship wasn't fast enough for the evasion she was going for. One bolt smashed the ship, knocking it so hard that it fell right out of the sky, tumbling mercilessly to the ground. Sami's hands gripped the wheel until they turned white, and she pulled up on it hard, nearly breaking it right off its post. Slowly, too slowly, the ship stopped, thrusting everyone forward. And then, it landed.

"What the hell happened!?" Malik asked, as they rushed onto the deck. Smoke was billowing from one end of the ship, and it smelled like burning rubber and oil. The black smoke made Ryou's nose itch. Sami walked over to where the flames burned, and looked at them critically. Then she shook her head. Ryou knew what was wrong. Everyone knew.

"Ship's dead," she called simply, walking back, "That last blast must've hit the engine dead on. It's been incinerated." With Katt, she climbed off the deck and landed onto the ground with a thud. They walked to where they could see the burning engine a bit better. Like she had said, it was completely destroyed. Ryou didn't see how they managed to live; realistically, the entire ship should've ignited.

"Can we repair it?" Yami asked, as he jumped off the side to join her. Ryou didn't see just how the old spirit expected even Sami to do something like that, but he suggested it anyway. And, unsurprisingly, Sami shook her head again. There was no point in even trying, anyway. They were _in_ Domino City.

"Unless you want to die, I don't think we should touch a damn thing," she replied, as Malik and Yugi climbed down next. Malik's mouth dropped at the massive damage that had been done. Sparks were dancing off some of the metal siding, and he could see a few gears trying their damnedest to shift and move. There really was no point. Someone would be killed, fried to a crisp, if they even attempted it.

"Can one bolt actually _do_ that!?" he asked, as Katt pulled him back before he touched just one part of the ship. Sami nodded, crossing her arms as she examined the remains, even as the fire devoured them.

"Lightning is a condensed form of energy, discharging electricity when and where it hits. As a metal substance, this ship is an amazing conduit for such a blast," she told him calmly, "When you take into considering that this ship has been submerged for some time now, yes. One blast can do this much." Malik stopped trying to struggle against Katt when he heard that. It really was a miracle no one was fried, then. Sami turned back to the flaming gears as a bark from above alerted her. Her dog yipped, and she laughed as she said, "What is it, Rush?"

"What's in his mouth?" Yugi asked. As if to answer, Rush jumped off the edge of the ship and landed with a thud next to Ryou. He couldn't tell what breed Rush was, but the dog was big, now that he stood on all fours. Ryou inched away slowly; the dog could easily topple him if it felt like it. Rush dropped something at Sami's feet, and the woman picked it up, unraveling it. It appeared to be a map. She studied it, and frowned.

"Well, the good news is, we're close to Domino," she told them all, chuckling, "Bad news is, we're walking the rest of the way. Even if I could repair this scrap heap, I don't trust it won't just break down again." Everyone else, except for Katt, moaned miserably. The thought of _walking_ into battle was both suicidal and somewhat disappointing. Whoever they were fighting would enter with something that could easily crush them, if she saw them walking. But Ryou understood Sami's reasoning: if they walked in, they might not attract any attention from their enemies. Even that, though, didn't help anyone to cope with it.

"Are we seriously _walking_ to our doom!?" Ishtar exclaimed in exasperation, putting his palm to his forehead, "Are we really that pathetic?" Sami just rolled her eyes as she put the map away and began leading them down the gray field they'd landed in. Already, she could see a faint outline of buildings in the far distance.

"If you don't want to walk, then stay here with your tail between your legs," Sami said in frustration, and looked at the map again, "Damn it, I wish there was something I could use as a marker in case we're lost." Ryou just snorted. He hadn't expected Sami to get them lost, but anything could happen at that point. Sami didn't know _everything_, after all. Malik must've felt the same thing as well, for he was already walking ahead by the time Sami decided on what to do. Katt arched an eyebrow, and cupped her hands to her mouth.

"Hey, _idiot!_" she called, "Domino's the _other way!_" Ishtar and Bakura burst into hysterical laughter. Malik stopped and blinked, wondering who she was addressing. Then it hit him; she was yelling _at him_. He turned quickly, giving her a glare as he did.

"I knew that!" he retorted just as loudly, "I was _testing you_!" Then, he began to storm the other way, this time toward the city, not away from it. Ryou just shook his head and walked along Rush, the big dog giving him some comfort; he suspected that, like Sami, Rush was skilled in combat. At least, canine combat. He also saw that Yugi was walking alongside the dog as well. Sami and Katt had taken the rear as the spirits glided ahead, Bakura and Ishtar snickering all the while.

"Malik's an idiot, isn't he?" Katt whispered, and Sami flat-out laughed. She nodded her head, remembering just how much he was willing to screw her over because he _didn't trust her_. Ryou glanced back for only a second.

"Yes, I'm afraid he is. I honestly don't know why we even let him come with us," Sami sighed, shaking her head as if to clear it, "He's stubborn as a rock, but he's had his moments, too. We'll see if this changes him. For the better, preferably." Katt nodded in agreement, and Ryou turned away from them before they noticed him. Except that Katt noticed him. Sami, thankfully, did not. Katt slowly grinned, and decided to see how Sami felt about some of her other allies.

"Did Ryou ask to bring him along?" Katt asked, and when Sami frowned, she pressed further, "Why'd you listen to him?" She saw, just a fraction, that Sami's eye had twitched. She'd hit the mark.

"…I felt like listening for once," she growled as she slowed, "Katt, what are you getting at?" Sami already had her suspicions, but she was old enough to know never to assume a thing. Katt's grin told her that too many times to remember. But, Katt merely shrugged.

"Hey, no need to get defensive, sis," she said coolly, as they kept in pace of each other, "I'm just saying, I think he likes you. He asked about you." This time, Sami screeched to a stop. She didn't know why, but that made her angry. She thought she'd made it clear that he didn't interest her. Katt glanced at her, realizing that she didn't want to hear that.

"…So this is what that's about," she mumbled, and then laughed, "It explains his childish behavior." She stopped for a moment, looking contemplatively at the sky. Then, she looked down, shook her head, and added, "I won't be returning those feelings." Katt blinked, her eyes widening. That was a pretty harsh thing to say.

"Why not?" she asked, her voice low with confusion. Sami's lips pursed.

"I've already fallen in love with a human before, and it ended with him storming away because of Ryou," Sami said, "Beside that, he is seventeen. Right now, I _look_ twenty-one. Do you honestly think his father would approve?"

"Poor Ryou…" Katt sighed, and looked back up at her sister, "I think you should give him a chance. Not everyone's as serious as you. He might actually be a good guy." Sith's nose twitched in annoyance. She really didn't like that Katt was taking it upon herself to pair her up. But Katt had done this before, too. She finally just sighed.

"Perhaps," she said slowly. Katt grinned again. That was better than an outright 'no.' At least, she was half-way there. They began to walk again, following the others at an uncomfortable distance. It gave her time to think.

"So, if you're considering, how come _you_ don't ask _him_?" she asked. Sami glared at her angrily, wishing she would just shut her mouth and clamp it shut. Katt snorted when she didn't reply, and said, "Maybe he's nervous because you're older."

"You're acting like I care," Sami growled, eyes narrowing, "Katt, drop it. I said _perhaps_, not _yes_. There's a fine line of difference." Katt's grin faded. Now she was just annoying her sister. She sighed, and then shrugged again. There wasn't much she could do if Sami didn't want this to happen.

"I think… that you have one very dim memory, and you're dwelling on it because you can't remember it," Katt said suddenly, and Sami froze. The image of the blonde man from before came back to her, and her skin paled. Katt nodded slowly, seeing that clearly, "I knew it. I knew there was some other reason you don't like Ryou." Sami looked down. She could only guess as to how Katt knew who she cared for. It made her ashamed to admit it, too; she didn't even know the man. There was just a feeling of familiarity, of something much more than friendship in the past.

"You want me to forget him," she said flatly, "The man in this memory of mine." Katt blinked slowly now, and her frown reappeared.

"…well, if you don't remember him…" Katt began, "Maybe it's best. He did tell you to live your life, didn't he?" Just that mention made Sami's eyes water. That was true. He _did_ say that, and he left. She swallowed hard. As easy as it sounded to do, she didn't want to forget him. He was always the one who took the brunt of the attacks in her nightmares. And he was _real_. It wasn't just a dream. He _really appeared_ to them. Ryou saw him, and yelled at him. He wasn't just a memory. This was going to hurt her.

"…" Sami was speechless for a while. Then, slowly, she said, "I… will try." Katt smiled again and patted her back. Obviously, this didn't hurt her nearly as much as it hurt Sami.

"Great! Don't worry, sis. I'll talk to Ryou about it!" she exclaimed, and Sami immediately grabbed her and clamped her mouth shut. Ryou was dead ahead of them. Not to mention Sami was only doing this for Katt. He'd be crushed if he actually found that out.

"Don't you _dare_," Sami growled, and diverted the subject immediately, "Besides, I don't see you pairing yourself up with anyone." Katt just snorted, and offhandedly pointed to where Malik was walking. Albeit, a bit clumsily as Ishtar pushed him over. Sami looked from him, to her sister. She looked absolutely horrified.

"Oh, I am. I'm just not sure I can actually ask him out," Katt snickered, "…what's wrong?" Sami's eye twitched again as she made sense of what Katt was trying to say. Malik. Of everyone, she found _Malik_ attractive. Sami, personally, found Malik a little repulsive. She didn't look or feel ready to accept her sister's choice.

"Tell me you joke," she stated flatly, and Katt started laughing, "Why!? Why Malik Ishtar!?"

"Why're you going to ask Ryou out?" Katt countered, and was absolutely sure Sami might lose it now. The woman was normally in control of herself, but romance was a sore subject. And one she felt was amazingly private. Immediately, her wings tensed.

"I wasn't," she growled in response, and dropped the subject after that. Katt watched as Sami stormed ahead, where everyone had come to a stop. She looked up, and soon saw why. She and Katt had been talking for some time; she didn't even notice how close they were to Domino. By this time, the sky above the city was black, casting everything into night. It felt completely unnatural. Rush growled, his fur stiffening as Sami passed him. She looked just as tense, her face just as grim. Next to her, Bakura stood.

"There's evil around us," he stated, and silently, Sami nodded. She didn't move. She had no idea what to do now. The silence could've been a trap. It had been before. She and Bakura were ambushed because silence was their enemy, as well as Mystics. She felt Yugi come up behind her, his hand shaking as he laid it on her arm.

"Should we go in?" he asked. Sami breathed deeply, and nodded. Yugi didn't let go of her hand as she stepped forward, slowly. Then, she stopped again. Something definitely felt wrong. She sensed evil. She sensed malice. But she also sensed one thing she had never expected here; sadness. Someone in that city was upset. A _Mystic_ was upset. But upset about what? Sami didn't let that slip by, even though she didn't say a thing about it.

"Yes. We have a battle to fight," she replied, and drew her sword. Yugi finally let go of her, and that's when she noticed a movement to her left. Something rustled. Rush growled furiously, and with an arc, her sword went flying toward the movement as she screamed, "_DIE!_" Four more screams pierced the air before Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Miho fell out of the bushes, narrowly avoiding Sami's blade. Which was no matter. Sami merely draw a long dagger, until she felt Yugi's hands clamp her arm again.

"Sami, no!" he pleaded, "They're friends!" Sami immediately lowered her weapon and took a better look at them. Indeed, they were just children. She put her dagger away, and walked over to get her sword, which stuck out of the bush, having killed a rabbit. She threw the corpse to Rush, who devoured it whole. Then she turned sharply back to Yugi.

"Why are children here, then?" she asked him sternly, "Has the city been evacuated?" Yugi couldn't answer. He hadn't seen his friends in nearly a week. Joey scrambled up, wiping the dirt off his shirt as he glared at Sami. Obviously, nearly being killed by a crazy bitch of a woman wasn't Joey's idea of a welcoming.

"What the hell's the big idea, you freak!?" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up, "What, you thought we were Kaiba or something!?" Sami didn't know who Kaiba was, and she shook her head, crossing her arms stiffly over her chest as Rush trotted over and sat to her right. He snorted and proceeded to ignore everyone else.

"I thought you were Mystics," she replied, as Kaiba walked out through the gates. He must've expected some form of assault, because he didn't look the least surprised to see Sami there, wielding a sword. But, to him, she looked absolutely ridiculous. Anyone who was civilized had no use for weapons. Likewise, she ignored him entirely, for Tea was speaking now.

"Mystics?" she repeated, and then shivered, "So the news _was_ right. Is that where you guys went!? We were worried sick!" Ryou nodded, and in turn with Yugi and Malik, told their friends what had happened. They especially paid attention to the details concerning Sami's magic, Radical Retro Specter, the blonde man, and then Katt. Tea and Miho couldn't believe it was really happening! They looked entirely impressed. Joey and Tristan just grinned, high-fiving Yugi for making it through with flying colors. Kaiba was the only one who looked even remotely pissed off. No one, save for Rush, was surprised.

"Oh good god, you actually think we believe this crap!?" he demanded, and looked at Sami, "Look, lady, I don't know who you are, but I should arrest you for kidnapping and assault. I don't believe for a second that you're this mystical hero Ryou keeps whining about." Sami raised an eyebrow. Normally, when Kaiba insulted a person, they yelled right back or even tried to strike him. But Sami did neither. She looked almost amused. She glanced at Ryou.

"Who the hell does this bastard think he is?" she asked, and Joey laughed hysterically as she turned back to Kaiba, "And I should mow you down for insulting me like that. Now move, _asshole_." Kaiba twitched, but stepped aside nonetheless. He _did_ know she had a sword, after all. And even if she wasn't competent with it, she could still kill him, quite easily, he had to admit. Damned crazy bitch, she was. He watched her walk down the road, Ryou and Yugi following shortly afterwards. And, for whatever reason he just couldn't see, everyone else was following _them_, too. It was madness, in Kaiba's mind. And because he found no reason not to do so, he brought up the rear. Sami walked on, with Katt alongside her, until they came to a large intersection. Ryou looked around, wondering why Sami would stop there. Then, she spoke.

"All right, I'll only say this once, and I expect you all to be smart enough to listen," she stated, her eyes darting from each and every face she now had command over, "We're going into an onslaught here, and we're armed with next to nothing. So, I want you all to go and find anything to defend yourself with."

"Yeah. Knives, swords, guns, hell, even a baseball bat will do," Katt added with a grin, "Just make sure you come back with something. Even if it's a stick, it's better than your fists!" Sami gave her sister a long stare, and then dismissed the group. Katt led Tea and Miho to find suitable weapons, and Joey, Tristan, and Malik all ran toward a butcher's shop for their equipment. Kaiba just took out a shotgun from his suitcase and wandered off, leaving Sami and Ryou there. Both of them were already armed; Ryou had grabbed his sword from his room before departing the ship. And Sami never seemed to be without her sword. They looked at each other for a long moment, neither knowing what to say.

"Let's go," Ryou finally said quietly. Sami followed silently. He led her down a street that was crammed full of shops and stores. All was silent as they walked. It felt all wrong. For the time of day, it should've been packed with people. And yet, it wasn't. Ryou glanced back to see Sami looking in a few of the windows, to see what was sold there. If the situation wasn't so grave, he'd have thought she looked adorably lost. She seemed genuinely intrigued. But it was short-lived. As they rounded a corner, going down another side street, they came to a small row of houses, looking out of place in a city like Domino; it looked more like the suburbs than a city. Ryou walked up one walkway, heading up a small set of stairs. He stopped at the door, and opened it up. It was unlocked. Biting his lip, he stepped inside. The place was destroyed, just as he had left it. He wasn't surprised his father hadn't come back yet, but that also worried him. The Mystics might've gotten to his father already. Sami walked inside after him, with Rush trotting in and snorting.

"So… how does it feel to be back?" she asked quietly, her voice cutting through the gloom of destruction like her sword. Ryou took a moment to sweep up the scene, remembering what the house looked like before this happened. His father would kill him when he got home, provided that neither of them were dead by then. His skin paled from the mere thought of it.

"I'm dead," he mumbled, picking up what had once been a very nice vase. Sami perked an amused eyebrow as the remaining shards crumbled into dust in his hands. She could only imagine how beautiful the house was supposed to look.

"What happened here?" she asked, and added, "And what was that _supposed_ to be?" Ryou just sighed, his cheeks turning blue in embarrassment.

"Either vampires of Mystics, I'm not sure which. They can and trashed my house looking for me," he said tiredly, "If my father sees this, he's going to kill me! I'm the only son he has! He can't handle thinking I might not be the best there ever was!" Sami's amused gaze turned flat by that point. To her, Ryou was freaking out over a very small thing. Magic, or a broom, would fix this. Freaking out wouldn't. It was simple as that to her.

"Well, here's the good news," she said flatly, and Ryou wondered how serious she was being, "If you die out there, there's no need to worry."

"Gee, thanks," he mumbled, tossing the dust aside. Sami just snorted, patting him on the back. Then, Rush growled. Sami turned, drawing her sword right as the door opened. But it was only Katt. Except that she looked absolutely terrified. Sami lowered her sword, but only minimally. Rush was still growling as he looked out the door. Something was very, very wrong.

"Katt, what's wrong?" Sami demanded, though she already knew the answer. And, as Katt spoke, she found that she was right. She hated being right.

"The Mystics!" she cried, "They're out there! I've sent everyone else running, because we couldn't find anything, but… sis, there's so many of them!" That certainly didn't surprise Sami at all. Ryou wondered why. She should've been shitting her pants over this, but she seemed calm as ever. Gripping the hilt of her sword, she threw open the door, nearly breaking it to pieces.

"Then it's time to see if we live another day, or die an early grave," she stated grimly, and smiled, to Ryou's surprise, "Let's go and show them we have no respect for threats." Then, she walked out, with Rush and Katt by her sides. Ryou blinked, looking at his own sword. He didn't want to go out there. He didn't want to die. But he owed it to Sami to see this through. She'd saved him once already. Now he had to repay her, in blood if need be. Damn it, he knew he was going to die.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Now that he's back in Domino, Ryou finally reached the final stage in Sami's quest. But not a thing is well as his friends, even Kaiba, decide to join in the fight. The Mystic army has already advanced onto the battlefield, and fearing for their safety, Katt sent the others running. With only three fighters left, does Domino City… nay, the entire world, stand a chance against this powerful, other-worldly army? Or will Ryou's world be laid to waste? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	19. The Final Battle!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and while he asked if I wanted to do a special where Ryou kicks everyone's ass, that still wasn't quite good enough.

It stormed outside as Sami ran through the streets, her sister, her dog, and Ryou right behind her. If possible, the night had grown darker, making it nearly impossible for her to see; even the streetlamps had been cut short from the storm. She cursed. Leave it to those damn Mystics to make this impossibly disadvantageous to her. Using her sword as a conductor, she cast a fire spell. Light blazed, dancing up and down the blade and throwing the area around her into soft, orange light. It looked hazy in the surrounding black, and if they weren't blind without it, Ryou would've told her to put it out. Anyone would've noticed them with such bright light.

"So, what's the battle plan?" Katt asked, as they sharply veered off the street and onto a dirt path that cut through one of the large parks in the city. Sami had to move carefully. Her sword could've ignited the trees here, which definitely would've killed them. Ryou silently wondered what she was up to; she weaved through the trees, and both he and Katt were forced to follow. Rush made no complaints about it. He simply trotted along with Sami.

"We need to outwit them. Strength does us no good, no matter their numbers. It's clear that we may be outnumbered," Sami replied darkly, "Stay off the streets. Darkness is our friend as well as our foe. If we keep to the trees, we can surprise them." Ryou didn't argue. They crept along, cautiously as they came closer toward the edge of the forest. Sami made sure to keep the street within her sight so she knew where she was going. Ryou couldn't see how that helped. Everything looked the same. Destroyed, decimated, decomposing, depressing. Sami didn't even flinch. But Katt had a much stronger reaction. Ryou suspected she thought Domino would be in good shape.

"What did they do?" she whispered, and then Sami yanked them both back as a figure passed them through the trees. This figure was pale, his long, purple hair tied in a ribbon that ran down his blue overcoat. He felt Sami's breath on his ear as she whispered 'Mystic' to him. They looked almost human! He was glad Sami was with him, or he'd have made the mistake of speaking.

"Damn it, you weren't kidding," Sami whispered to Katt, "They really are everywhere. This is against Esper law! Why _are_ they attacking?" Katt just shrugged. Neither of them knew the answer. Suddenly, Ryou yelped. He felt someone land behind him, and no sooner gasped when a gloved hand clamped his mouth closed. Sami whirled, sword drawn, but the figure stepped into the pale moonlight. She dropped her sword immediately; his good eye watched its tip hit the dirt.

"Miss me, Sith?" he asked her, smirking. Sami just blinked, and Katt scowled at him. This was the complete opposite of what she wanted to happen. Ryou noted the look of fury on Katt's face.

"Why're you here?" Sami whispered, her voice sounding shaky as she spoke, "You… you left." Ryou frowned. Sami sounding scared just didn't feel right. The man's grin grew slightly. His good eye went from her, and then to Ryou. He let the boy go, and Ryou coughed. The taste of leather was disgusting on his tongue.

"And then I came back," he stated, "Couldn't just leave you like that, babe." Sami blinked wildly at the word 'babe.' Ryou growled. He saw a faint blush cross her cheeks, and wished he could smack the man who stood behind him. Katt finally settled down, and looked around. There was no one else but the four of them.

"Is Katsaiga here?" she asked the man, who nodded. He reached behind him and took out a Winchester gun. Ryou noted the loving look in his eyes as he handled it. Sami's mouth just froze. Winchester was her last name. And this man clearly cared about her if he came back, even after what Ryou said to him.

"She's here," he replied grimly, "She's not doing well. Seems Rath is sick of her waffling between sides. She's not herself now." Sami frowned now. Waffling between sides. She knew what that meant. Indeed, Katsaiga wasn't their enemy. It was quite the opposite. Which meant her imprisonment… and Ryou's…

"She was trying to protect us," Ryou concluded, and Katt's mouth dropped open. Katsaiga was still a Mystic. But the man nodded again, stroking the gun he held so tenderly in his hands.

"She knew from the start that there was no reason to go after you," the man explained, "But she could only fight for so long. Come on. We need to go." Without even waiting for their approval, the man led them out of the protection of the forest. The Mystics were gone. Most probably, Katsaiga had convinced them to leave. Or perhaps Rath had done so. The man turned a corner, and they came to the square. Ryou was surprised; he hadn't realized Sami was even leading them there beforehand. Mainly because he didn't recognize it. The entire town had fallen into complete disarray. But true to the man's words, the figure that stood before them was unrecognizable, save for the shockingly long, red hair. But instead of a human figure, the lower half of her body was that of a large snake. The top half was a Mystic woman. Sami looked up in horror at the face. It was Katsaiga. Or, it had been.

"…so you _did_ come," she whispered in awe, her head lowering to look at them, "I must say, Sith… I was hoping you would flee again. But I'm not surprised. You never did back down from a challenge until that day." Ryou expected some form of banter, but Sami was clearly too shocked by what she saw. Whoever Rath was, she mutated Katsaiga. The fact the woman was still sane said a lot. Sami had to admit, that part impressed her.

"Why would I? You're threatening this world, and it's our job to stop that from happening," she replied simply, her sword instantly in her hand, "Katsaiga, what is going on? I assumed _you_ were our enemy. Why did you protect us? What is this Rath up to?" Katsaiga let out a long, low breath. Clearly, she'd been expecting their encounter to turn out like this. A weak smile crossed her face. For a second, just one, she looked human. That couldn't have been the face of tyranny.

"It happened long ago, Sith. So long ago, you've already borne a new identity," Katsaiga said sadly, "And you don't even remember it. I don't know… what happened to you since then, but at one time, we were not enemies. At one time, we had been friends. That is why I protected you." Sami listened carefully, but she couldn't wrap her mind around that answer. She looked to the blonde man. He looked grim, his gun cocked and ready to be fired. Then she looked at Katt. Katt's skin had paled, and she had stepped backwards. Something about this was scaring her, but what it was, Sami couldn't know. She turned back to Katsaiga.

"Please, tell me! I need to know!" she pleaded, her eyes wide, "I don't know who I am or what I was! Ever since… ever since you all came to this world, I knew something was wrong. You have the answers! Please, tell me!" That made Katsaiga's sadness grow. She _wanted_ to explain, but she had so little time left. Rath wasn't merciful with her. She was a traitor to her master, had been for three thousand years at that point. If she spoke, it would undo her. She had to think of, not only Sami, but of her own daughter.

"I'm sorry, lady Sith. I cannot," Kaisaiga told her. Anger finally overcame Sami. She hurled her sword, so furious was her aim, that it slammed right into the woman's stomach. It bounced off and clanged to the floor, but the cut was made. Katsaiga stared, wide-eyed, at what Sami had just done.

"_I DEMAND ANSWERS!_" Sami screamed furiously, and Ryou was sure he felt tremors in the ground. Katsaiga didn't retaliate. She understood Sami's anger. The woman was, after all, far from her home, far from her own time. Ryou began to understand that as well. There was a certain level of frustration to Sami that told him she _had_ been searching for her answers for some time, whatever they were.

"Sith, I would give them to you, but…" Katsaiga didn't finish. Suddenly, a beam of light, a thin beam, pierced Katt in the chest. She screamed, and within seconds, she had crumpled to the floor, blood spilling from her wound. Katsaiga gasped, turning around, and Sami roared in fury, dropping her sword as she knelt down beside her sister. There was no mistake. Katt was dead.

"No… _NO!_" Sami screamed, picking her sister up and shaking her, "Damn it, Katt! Wake up! Please!" But Katt didn't stir. The blonde man fired a shot into the air, toward where the beam had come. But nothing was there. Ryou watched helplessly. There was nothing he could do now, except hope to get Sami out alive.

"Sami, we have to run!" he exclaimed, taking her arm. She shook him away.

"I won't run," she growled, and handed Katt's body to him, "Ryou… get everyone and leave Domino. Leave and never come back." The finality and firmness of her words struck Ryou. She couldn't have been serious. And yet, she was. She was telling him to leave. To leave his home, to leave his family, and to leave her there. Three things he wouldn't be doing.

"Sami, I can't!" he cried, "What of you? They'll kill you! They want you dead!"

"Then they shall have me dead, but I won't let them hurt you," she replied gravely, "Ryou… do this for me. Please." There was no argument. Ryou nodded, but his eyes watered. It didn't matter. It just didn't matter how long he'd known her. She was a friend. She was a good friend. She saved his life, and now she was giving up hers. It wasn't fair. But life wasn't fair, either, and Ryou had learned that when his own sister and mother had died. This wasn't any different. He wiped his tears away.

"Sami… please don't die just yet," he said, and then he took Katt and ran. Sami just nodded, and turned back to Katsaiga. The woman looked terrified, and when she looked down at Sami, her eyes were wide with bewilderment.

"Lady Sith, I didn't do that!" she pleaded, "Honest to Roris, I did nothing!" Sami already knew that. She saw the look of absolute terror on the Mystic's face. But, what she couldn't see was who did shoot Katt. She looked to the blonde man.

"Did you see?" she asked, as Katsaiga looked around again. But, the man shook his head sadly. He had taken a blind shot and merely prayed he'd hit something. It was clear he hadn't.

"Not a damn thing, Sith," he replied grimly. Sami sighed. This meant they'd have to go looking. Katt was just a warning; collateral damage. Whoever had done this, why they had… it was all a game. Well, fine then. Sami Winchester was a master at these games. She had played them herself for some time. Her sword out before her, she stepped forward.

"Then we go and do some hunting ourselves," she growled, "Katsaiga, let's go. If we're truly friends, then help avenge my sister." Katsaiga didn't argue. With the blonde man bringing the rear, the three of them went down the street. If there was a Mystic hiding, they'd find them. And that Mystic… well, bless them if they weren't smart enough to run away. They certainly would never be faster than Sami.

---

Ryou ran. He ran as fast and as far as his body would allow, even past those meager humanly limits that restrained him. Sami's final words rang in his ears like her sword against steel. It was horrible. The whole thing was horrible, and if he didn't get out fast enough, they were all dead. He had to pray he'd be fast enough. The ship slowly came into view, and so did Ryou's friends. They looked wrong. They were happy to see him, but everywhere, death was apparent. Their deaths. His death. Sami's death. Everything was so gray with those three facts. Malik's smile vanished as he saw the grim look on Ryou's face, and then he screamed when he saw Katt. She was covered in blood. And more importantly, she was dead.

"What the fuck just happened!?" he cried in alarm, but Ryou just handed him Katt's corpse and climbed onto the deck. There was no time to explain. They needed to go _now_. Or die. The ultimatum was simple to decide.

"We're leaving," he said, throwing the cabin door open, "They're here. The Mystics are all here. Sami's there, fighting them, and Katsaiga's helping her… oh god, never mind it all! Just get on!" The horror in his voice was enough of a motivator for them. Each of them climbed onto the deck of the ship, and Rush, having followed them, simply jumped up and landed with a thud. Ryou ran to the wheel, and was about to turn it on, when he heard a thunderous roar, sounded by two gun shots, one strike of a sword, one scream, and then… silence. Ryou didn't want to know what that meant. Someone had died. Someone on their side. And he knew who it had to have been. His mind went reeling. After all of that, after everything, she was dead. In less than ten minutes, she was already dead.

"What the hell!?" Kaiba yelled, when a cyclone began to pick up inside of the city. Ryou's shoulders tensed. Sami wasn't the only one there. Katsaiga would need help, if she wasn't dead already, and the blonde man… as much as Ryou hated him, he was important to Sami. He was in danger as well. Ryou rushed to the door as Rush howled in agony.

"Take Katt and get away," Ryou called, leaping off of the ship, "Get away and don't come back! Find a way into another world if you need to. But never come back here!" Those were the words Sami used before she passed. Ryou's heart panged as he remembered that. She had been so confident, so damned sure of her own death. And she had it coming on a silver plate. Ryou would avenge her. He screamed, and his sword was at his side, moving of its own accord. He didn't care for it; right then, standing against the Mystics was all that he could think of.

"Ryou…" Bakura began, leaning over the ship. Ryou turned and looked up at him. Gone was the innocence Ryou once had, not so long ago. Gone was the gentle spirit that had kept him in tact since his life went to hell. Gone was the only thing that kept Ryou sane. In its place burned the knowledge that the one person who had made his entire life from that point possible was gone. And he wouldn't forgive that. She deserved more than that. Bakura smiled weakly and said, "Good luck."

"Bakura… make sure this doesn't happen if I don't come back," Ryou replied, "And tell my dad that I'm sorry I wasn't the son he wanted." Bakura's eyes watered. But Ryou was already gone. The boy had grown up much in the last week, too much for Bakura's comfort. Now he was going to get himself killed, all for what? One woman? Stupid idiot. Bakura understood, but that was such a stupid thing to do. He shook his head, and held up the ring to confirm what Ryou said. There was no response from it. Sami was dead indeed.

"So he wasn't lying," Malik whispered. Bakura nodded, putting the ring away. Silence reigned for what seemed like hours. The knowledge of death often did that to time. Finally, Yugi broke it. He had to. They had to move.

"What now?" he asked. Yami looked grimly at the city. He already knew what they had to do. The problem was doing it; they couldn't. No matter where they ran, the Mystics were still behind them. They were still in danger. No place was safe. But they promised Ryou to run.

"We run, and we…" Yami didn't finish his sentence. A blast of magic, so powerful, had hit them. It hit them so hard, the ship was destroyed on impact, sent scattering into a wisp of ash and smoke. Nothing had been spared. No bodies remained, no metal was seen, and no item was in sight of that short explosion, quiet and bright in amidst the darkness and chaos. No one survived. Just as Yami had feared and known.

It was the hardest thing to know, when you realize all of your friends were gone, and you were the only one left. Ryou had known since Bakura bid him farewell. He knew when Sami begged him to find another world. He knew they were doomed. The entire planet was doomed. Oblivion itself was now doomed. Ryou didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't get away. He ran as fast as he could to the square. And he froze. Sami was there, and her body was simply a crumpled heap onto the ground. Katsaiga was beside her, no longer the mutated creature she had been. Now, she had been restored to normal. But why? As Ryou walked closer, Katsaiga spoke. Her voice sounded strangely gentle.

"For all of my ability, and all of her skill… Lady Sith is dead," she said, tears falling, "I could not save my own queen. Damn it all, I've killed her. My inability undid her!" Ryou couldn't believe it. All this time, he had assumed Katsaiga was their enemy, and she was furious that Sami was dead. She regretted what she'd done. She had remorse.

"She gave herself up because she wanted to save this world," Ryou began, and Katsaiga looked at him, "Somehow… somewhere… she knew, didn't she? She knew who she was and what had to be done, didn't she? That's why you call her Sith, isn't it?" Katsaiga blinked. Then, she chuckled. Ryou had gotten it right. And at such a terrible time. It was all too funny.

"You amaze me, Ryou Bakura," she whispered, "Yes. Somehow, she knows the answers she seeks. The problem is, when she ran away from here, so long ago… part of herself was broken off and kept with Rath." Ryou's lips thinned. That meant, if she truly wanted to understand herself, Sami would eventually need to face Rath. Which she would never do now.

"What happened? Who was she?" Ryou asked quietly. Katsaiga frowned gently, and looked away.

"I can't tell you, Ryou," she replied after a time, "It's… it's not meant for anyone but her to know. Such knowledge could cause harm to many of the worlds in Oblivion. In a way… her death spared us of at least that. But in another, we will be doomed. The other Mystics can now take over this world in a rush onslaught. You and I will be killed."

"Then we have to run away!" Ryou cried out in alarm, "We can't let them win!" Katsaiga smiled weakly again. If it were that easy, she would have done so. But it wasn't. Rath had made it that way. She shook her head.

"No, Ryou. We can't run," she replied sadly, "Please… talk with them. Talk with your friends. You will see what must be done." Ryou didn't know what Katsaiga was saying, but he had no time to protest. She was muttering a spell, and sleep was forcing itself upon him. He couldn't keep his eyes open as he slowly knelt to the ground. The world melted away, bringing him to a strange, new darkness he had never seen before. It wasn't scary, nor was it claustrophobic. It was just a vast expanse of what appeared to be nothing. In the distance, he heard footsteps, but made no move to look.

"Ryou? Ryou, where are you, stupid head!?" came a small, light voice that Ryou was surprised to find that he recognized, "I know you're here!" He blinked slowly. That voice belonged to his sister. But that wasn't possible. Amane had died over a year ago. But there was no mistake. That was _her_ voice. Ryou forced his body to move. There stood a little girl, barely six years old, in a yellow dress and long, white hair. Her tiny white shoes tapped on the floor. That was Amane, the day before she died.

"Little sister!?" Ryou exclaimed, eyes wide as he jumped up, "Amane… you… you died." Amane's cheeks puffed out impatiently. That part wasn't particularly important to her. Right now, her brother needed some motivation, and she was intent on giving it. She slapped his cheek, her brows furrowed sharply.

"This isn't about me, Ryou!" she told him sharply, crossing her small arms, "Look, we're all in trouble and you need to do what's right! So stop whining and start killing!" Ryou's face paled. Those were some words to come from a six-year-old. Amane must've been pretty annoyed with him. Ryou didn't blame her. But what did she mean by 'we're all in trouble?'

"Amane, what happened? Who is in trouble?" Ryou asked her calmly.

"Sami, and Malik, and Yugi, and all your friends!" Amane exclaimed, "They're not dead! Whatever hit them, it didn't kill them! But they're not here, either. Ryou, they're inside that woman." Ryou blinked, unable to make sense of what Amane was trying to tell him. His friends were alive, but they were inside someone? He couldn't imagine how that turned out.

"Amane, what do you mean?" Ryou asked her, a little more concerned this time, "Please, try to make sense." Amane sighed. She didn't have a lot of time to get through her brother's thick skull.

"You stupid! Their souls are inside that woman! That's what made her turn back into a human!" she replied, "They're inside her. Sami's magic restored her! But they're scared, Ryou. They can't get out! You have to help them!" Ryou hummed. He was beginning to understand what Amane was saying. Their souls had been taken in by Katsaiga. That was wonderful. That made her stronger than before.

"She absorbed them," he whispered, "And I have to kill her now."

"She already knew that! That's why she sent you to me, because she needs you to have your butt kicked! Well, I'm sick of seeing you run away!" Amane said harshly, and pointed to Ryou, "Go fight, silly! And if you can't do it for me, do it for _them!_" She pointed to something in the air, and at first, Ryou couldn't see or hear anything. Then, faintly, he heard voices. His friends' voices. They sounded confident as they spoke.

"You can do it, Ryou!"

"Go on, Ryou! Kick her ass!"

"Dude, seriously, we don't want to die this way!"

"Ryou, she needs you to do this," Ryou looked bewildered as he heard Sami speak. But he knew what she was trying to say. Katsaiga wanted to die. She was depending on Ryou to set things right now. Everyone was. He looked down, and nodded. Amane just smiled, and watched as her brother slowly disappeared, reappearing back in his own world, where he opened his eyes. Katsaiga was looking down at him with worry. She must've been afraid he'd been killed in her spell. To see him awake brought a smile to her face. Ryou hated the thought of wiping that smile away. She couldn't have been the villain they had thought.

"Do you understand what you must do to save them?" she asked him, and grimly, he nodded. He took his sword in his hand. The blade shone blue. Katsaiga eyed it approvingly. She had seen that sword before; the Zerrkandr, the Espers had called it. The 'blade of mercy,' for it did not cause pain to those with pure intentions. And she was honored to die by its touch.

"I do," he replied, "I must kill you and set their souls free." Katsaiga nodded, and folded her hands against her stomach.

"The Zerrkandr is a legendary blade, Ryou. It will serve you well," she said, "Are you ready to wield it?" Ryou's lips thinned. That question, he just didn't know the answer to. _Could_ he handle a sword? A sword of the Espers?

"…yes," he said, "Thank you." Katsaiga nodded, and Ryou lifted the sword above his head. He brought it down; it moved so easily in his hands, and it cut through Katsaiga in one blow. Ryou didn't want to see the blood spurt, black across the ground, but he forced himself to look. He forced himself to see what he had done, what he had killed. But to his amazement, Katsaiga was smiling. Even as her body disappeared in a blast of light, she smiled. And waved. He heard her last words, and it brought tears to his eyes. She was truly loyal to Sami, and only to her.

"I will do what it takes to see my queen on her throne yet again," she whispered, and then… she was gone. Ryou couldn't believe how quickly it had passed.

"…Katsaiga," he said sadly, letting his sword drop, "You weren't a bad person. Mystics… aren't bad, are they?"

"No, they aren't," Sami replied, and Ryou spun around, "Their leader is forcing them to do these terrible things, and while some do them willingly… Ryou, you will find that many have no choice. Katsaiga… saw that in us." Ryou nodded, looking down. Sami was alive. She was perfectly fine. Clenching his fists, he hugged her. He hugged her so tightly, he was sure he was choking her. But he didn't let go.

"Why are they doing this, then!? Why can't they fight!?" he asked her, as tears ran down his cheeks, "Sami, this isn't right!" He felt the older woman pat his head comfortingly. She felt stronger than he expected.

"Because of Rath, whomever that is," she explained gently, "Ryou… you understand what this means, right?" Ryou nodded. That meant more of them had to be stopped. And Sami would be the one to stop them. Which meant Ryou would be helping her. Which was fine. That's what he wanted now. If they all were like Katsaiga, he could handle it. But he had a feeling they weren't. Katsaiga had cast her loyalties long ago and stuck with them. She was a rarity among those Mystics.

"_Ryou! You won!_" Yugi screamed, and Ryou turned again. His friends were alive! Amane had been right! Rush barked and howled as he bounded toward Sami, who caught him in a flying leap. Everyone was cheering, screaming, laughing, doing anything to display their happiness to him. He just chuckled.

"Thank Katsaiga," he told them, "She's the one who helped me." Katt nodded, looking down at the blue blade Ryou had held. The glow had left it, for it was no longer needed. She picked it up and handed it to Ryou.

"Leave it to our ancestors to make life a hell of a lot easier, eh?" she commented, and grinned as Ryou took the sword, "That's yours now. Keep it safe, kiddo." Ryou nodded, sheathing the blade. Sami patted his back proudly as Tea finally cleared her throat. Obviously, she had something to say. Everyone slowly quieted themselves to hear her.

"Well, now what?" she asked them, and Tristan laughed, "Shut it, Tristan! We just won, and we have to do _something_, don't we!?" Sami just raised a mildly amused brow. That was true enough, but she hadn't the faintest idea. Ryou wasn't too surprised; Sami didn't seem like celebration material. But Joey, and most of his friends, were. And it was Joey who suggested the idea.

"_PARTY AT KAIBA'S!_" he shouted. Everyone stared at him for a second, and then the group erupted into cheers and shouts of joy. That was, by far, the best idea Joey had ever given. So it wasn't a surprise either when Kaiba was the only one who protested.

"What!? _My_ house!? Why _mine_!?" Kaiba demanded, but when the cheering grew, he stuffed his hands in his pockets angrily, "Fine. Whatever. I don't give a shit anymore." Sami actually laughed, and he threw her a furious glare. Grumbling, he began to lead them out of the square, where trucks were beginning to park to help clean the place up. He was glad his house was close by. The quicker they got there, the quicker the party would leave. And even though they did just _save the world_, Kaiba didn't believe an ounce of it. After all, the battle had been over magic. And Seto Kaiba didn't believe in that. Even if it nearly killed him.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

The world is saved! For now, anyway. What Sami said about there being more Mystics has weighed heavily in Ryou's mind now, for he knows they will be battling them off. But how many are there that they must face? What will happen with Ryou's world now that Katsaiga is dead, of her own accord? And, will Ryou's father return to him? Find the rest out in the Aftermath, and click that Review button!


	20. Aftermath: The Beginning of a Journey

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi is pissed that I didn't invite him to Kaiba's party, but he can deal. After all, he created Yu-Gi-Oh.

The party lasted for hours. Despite Kaiba's annoyance and insistence, the party lasted for hours on end. Everyone had come, from policemen, to residents nearby, to the Chesiers from Duran, and even from visitors from other worlds, everyone who was anyone had come. Except for one person. Sami had looked for him, searched him out, but the blonde man hadn't come to the party. Ryou sighed. He was partly relieved; he still didn't like the man. But it hadn't improved Sami's spirits at all, and she was the only one relieved when the party finally ended. It meant they had no choice but to leave, something she found she could convince no one else to do. Kaiba was kind enough to do it for her, albeit he hadn't know that.

"_GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE AND STAY OUT!_" he had roared, literally throwing everyone out of his house, not caring if they landed in the dirt or not. Then he slammed the door in their faces. Joey got up, and spat out the dirt that managed to cram into his mouth. Clenching a fist, he turned to Kaiba's front gates, which were being locked at that point. He shook his fist angrily, hoping Kaiba could hear him.

"Fine! Be that way, _jackass_!" Joey yelled, and as Tristan tried to drag him away from the doorstep, everyone made their way to the bus stop. Some were much slower than others, having been preoccupied with trying to calm Joey down, but they were all headed there nonetheless. It was quiet, which surprised no one. It was nearly two in the morning. They huddled in the waiting area, trying to keep warm in the frosty air. In the midst of the celebrations, Ryou had forgotten that it was getting close to December. It was freezing out. He wished Kaiba had been more sympathetic to that fact.

"I guess he has a right to kick us out," Tea tried to say, her teeth chattering slightly, "After all, we were the ones who let the party get out of hand." That didn't convince either Tristan or Joey, for they were still shouting insults at Kaiba. Yugi patted Tea's shoulder as they sat on a bench. Then, he looked at the small terminal above them, showing when the next bus would come. Nothing was displayed.

"Do buses run this late?" he asked, and when no one was able to reply, he said, "I'll walk home, then. Grandpa's probably really worried, and Yami's exhausted too. I never knew he could dance like that!" Sami just snorted, grinning a little. She had watched Yami; he had been thrown mercilessly into the mosh pit Joey had created, and she wouldn't be surprised if he had a bruise or two by the morning. She shook her head.

"Judging by the look on his face, I'd say he had no idea, either," she commented. Yugi just smiled, and after a brief farewell, with the promise of visiting Sami soon, he departed, offering to walk Miho home in the process; she lived close to his house. She accepted, and soon they disappeared in the swirl of snow that slowly began to fall. Tea bit her lip. Snow wasn't promising as they stood out in the cold.

"We have to head home, too," Tea stated, "I have work tomorrow, and Tristan will definitely need help dragging Joey home." Sami nodded, and the two women looked over to where Joey still stood, screaming at the top of his lungs. His words were amazingly vulgar, in Sami's mind. But to Tea, it was standard Joey. She patted Tea on the shoulder. Sami felt sorry that she was obviously the smart one of the trio. The only indication that Kaiba even noticed them was when he slammed his window shut and turned the lights off. Joey just grinned proudly.

"Serves that little bastard right!" he exclaimed, and then turned to Ryou, "Anyway, man, good job. I don't know what the hell you did, but you fucked those Mystics over! You made Tristan and I so proud!" He locked Ryou's head in his arm and rubbed the boy's hair proudly, as Ryou just laughed. They exchanged goodbyes for the night, and then the trio left. Ryou watched them disappear down a road, and then turned to his remaining friends: Malik, Katt, and Sami.

"So, what are you planning to do now?" he asked each of them. Sami just shrugged. She still had to find a place for her and Katt to sleep for the night. Malik, however, was in no way ready to retire. He pointed down one street where one dance club was still open. Katt had to squint to see it, and then looked at Malik in disbelief. How anyone could party for so long was a mystery to her.

"I'm going to dance until my ass falls off!" Malik exclaimed, "I mean, we just saved the entire world. I think I'm allowed to stay out as long as I want and bust a few moves." Ryou nodded, though he personally wasn't sure he wanted to join Malik. Sami was definitely sure she wasn't joining Malik. She had watched him dance; he nearly killed himself, and several others around him.

"Just don't bust another lamp again. You almost electrocuted yourself," Sami reminded him, and he just smiled, "No, I'm serious. I'm not casting Curato on you _again_." Malik snorted and rolled his eyes. He didn't need a babysitter right then; Ishizu was more than enough to fill that role _every day of his life_.

"All right, _mom_," he said sarcastically, and then asked, "What about you three?" Sami blinked, and looked at the other two. Both had smiles on their faces. Both obviously had ideas.

"I'm going to go home. I'm tired," Ryou replied. Malik nodded, and looked at Sami next. She shrugged again. Still no ideas in her head. Malik gave her a sympathetic smile, and then turned when he felt Katt tugging his arm. He looked into her eyes. There was a tone in them that spelled certain trouble for him. He blinked quickly.

"I'd like to join you," Katt stated, and Malik grinned, "You need to be watched." Despite the insinuation that Malik couldn't take care of himself, Malik's grin only widened. He nodded vigorously, the prospect of a female joining him obviously making him happier than he should've been. Frankly, Ryou didn't blame him. Katt seemed like a blast to be with.

"Sure! I'd love to have you around," he exclaimed happily, and led her down the road, leaving Ryou and Sami. Sami just watched silently, and then shook her head in frustration. She didn't want to have to provide lodging if Katt wasn't making a move to help her. Nor did she want Malik around her sister, either. She felt Malik was an idiot. But there was little she could do now. It was so late in the night.

"I can't believe I'm dealing with this," she grumbled, and stuffed her hands into her pockets, "Ryou, you got any room for a guest?" Ryou stepped back in shock. He _heard_ the question, but the mere suggestion made his head spin. Was she actually _asking_ to _stay the night_!? Ryou's mind raced. She was years older. His father, if he came home, would never approve of it!

"Er… what?" he asked, not quite sure he actually heard right. He _prayed_ he heard wrong. But he didn't. She reworded her question flatly.

"May I stay at your place?" she asked, "I'm not working my tail off for a sister who's clearly interested in other things." Ryou snorted. He felt bad for Sami. She was tired, she just had her soul devoured, _she_ had worked much harder than Katt, and Katt _deserted_ her for _Malik_. And Sami hated Malik. He nodded, and patted her on the back.

"Of course! But… if my dad comes, you'll probably want to sneak out a window," he told her, and she laughed as he asked, "But does this mean you're staying?" Sami nodded, a sly grin forming on her face.

"Yeah. For a while, anyway," she replied, as he began to lead her down the street, offering her his coat so she didn't freeze; she didn't appear to have one herself, "I like you guys. Granted, most of you are as dumb as driveway gravel, but I like you. Besides, it's going to take a long time to figure out what all of this means. I might as well have a home to work in, right?" Ryou nodded, but his smile disappeared. He remembered what Katsaiga had said about Sami. Clearly, there was much more to her than meets the eye. And Ryou knew he couldn't tell her what he learned. It wouldn't make sense to her. He looked up into the twinkling sky as the snow fell.

"So, do you think there are any more Mystics?" he asked her, "Think they'd have the answers you want?" Sami hummed. She didn't know what they had to offer, but she did know there were more. She nodded.

"Yes, there are more. Yes, I'm sure they know of me," she replied grimly, "And no, they won't give us those answers. None of them were like Katsaiga. Or at least, none of the lords." Ryou glanced at her, his brown eyes wide with concern. Lords? As in… leaders? That was bad.

"Katsaiga was a Mystic lord!?" he exclaimed, and Sami nodded, pursing her lips.

"Yes. From what I remember, there are six Mystic lords," she replied slowly, "Katsaiga, who is dead. Then there is Falnika, who is Rath's right-hand woman. Scias and Gilden, who have no wish to fight us here. Martus, who was killed years ago, but may have a son. And then Rath herself. But I doubt we'll fight them all. As I said, half are either dead or against her." That relieved Ryou somewhat, but the thought of Mystic lords sent shivers down his spine. Walking up the walkway to his house, he opened the door and once again stepped into the battlefield that had once been his house. Sami followed him into the living room, putting his coat onto the chair.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked her, as he motioned for her to sit down. He was very surprised when she asked for some whiskey. Wondering if he should intervene at some point, he got a small glass and poured her some, sitting across from her. She took a sip, and made a face. The whiskey was too old, too stale.

"When will your father get back?" she asked him, breaking the silence. He shrugged, taking a sip of water.

"No idea. When he says 'sometime this week,' it could mean on Friday, for all we know. It might even mean next week," Ryou told her, and grumbled, "I just hope it's not so soon that we can't clean the damn house." Sami just snorted, and patted his knee comfortingly. She didn't know anything about Yaten Bakura, but she didn't need to know much to see that, obviously, he wasn't the world's best and brightest. She took another sip of her drink.

"No worries. I'll help you clean up tomorrow," she said, and grinned, "I'm as skilled with a broom as I am with a sword. I'll make sure he doesn't know this place was bombed." Ryou wanted to say that it'd been _broken into_, but how it happened made no true difference. The fact was, it happened, and they had to clean it up. He looked at Sami as she spoke, and a sly smile crossed his face.

"Are you part warrior, part maid?" he asked jokingly. But to his shock, she nodded, taking a duster off one table and twirling it around like a sword. In one fell swoop, she cleared the end table of dust.

"Yes, and I'm proud of it," she replied, setting the tool down, "I'll tell you tomorrow, though. I'm tired." Ryou agreed, and they stood up. He walked her out of the room, and down the hall toward the staircase. They ascended, him telling her about the house and how long he had lived there. She was especially curious about the brief period in which he had moved away to spare his family from Bakura, when they'd first met. When he spoke of Amane, Sami stopped outside of a closed door, and looked at it. Ryou stopped next to her, and smiled.

"That was Amane's room," he whispered, "But I don't go inside. I… It still hurts to think she's dead." Sami nodded, but said nothing. They moved on. He showed her his room, which she liked; it was nice and clean. But, unfortunately, she wouldn't be staying there. The only room that was available, that wasn't currently a junkyard of shit, was Yaten's room. And, it wasn't much better than that. As they entered, they were hit with the rotten smell of old laundry and burnt coffee. Papers and old cups lined the floor, coffee and soda stains forever absorbed into the rug. A large pile of dirty clothes had been shoved into one corner of the room. And the bed looked atrocious; Sami couldn't see how or why anyone would sleep there. The mattress was covered in clothing, and one spring was poking out of it. It was disgusting!

"…what the hell is supposed to live here?" Sami asked flatly, walking to the bed and shoving the clothes off. She used magic to repair the spring. Ryou shook his head tiredly, unable to believe this was his father's definition of 'clean.' He was appalled that Sami had to see that.

"Rotten, lazy slob…" Ryou growled, and in a gentler tone said, "Sami, you take my room. I'll sleep in here and clean this disaster area up." Sami blinked slowly, but didn't argue. She stood and walked to the door, looking back just enough to see Ryou. She smiled warmly, making Ryou grin.

"Goodnight," she said, and Ryou waved. Then, she left, shutting the door. Ryou just blushed. She looked nice when she smiled; he wished she'd done it more often. But then he shrugged. She had a right to be anything but happy. From what she said, what happened with Katsaiga was just the tip of the iceberg. Sighing, he began to pick up the papers and throw them into the surprisingly empty garbage bin. It didn't take long at all to fill it up. But at least all of the papers and most of the plastic cups were trashed. Already, the room looked much bigger. Still, Ryou sighed again.

"Hey, kiddo, just be glad she didn't see _my_ room," Bakura said, appearing at once, "Not that she could, but it's a pigsty!" Ryou just snorted. Bakura had been conveniently in his item while Sami was here. Ryou took that to mean he didn't want to put up with her. Which was too bad. She was still in the house.

"Oh yes, she might've actually killed you for it," Ryou joked, opening a window to let the room air out a little, "Speaking of rooms, though, if you have a body, you might actually need one." Bakura raised a brow as he watched Ryou sort through the pile of dirty clothing. That was a nice gesture, but there was still another person in this house who needed a room.

"Why didn't you ask Sami if she wanted the extra room?" the old thief asked. Ryou blushed slightly, though whether from embarrassment or something else, he wasn't sure of yet.

"Dad's been using it as his study," Ryou told him, shoving one pile of clothes into a basket, "Besides, I'm not sure if Sami's staying here _forever_. She might want to move out tomorrow." Bakura just snorted as Ryou went out into the hall for another basket, coming back in with a large one. Yaten had a lot of clothing to clean.

"You sound sad about that," Bakura teased, as Ryou put both baskets by the wall near the door, "Don't worry, kiddo. Next year, you'll be eighteen and you'll be able to legally date her." Ryou just grumbled. That hadn't even crossed his mind, and he wished to hell Bakura would shut up about it. Patting the bed to test it, Ryou found Sami had mended it up perfectly with her magic. That wasn't a big shock. He climbed onto it and made a note to replace it sometime soon. He didn't dare touch the blanket; it might have something growing in it. Sighing, he laid down.

"Goodnight, Bakura," he called. Bakura nodded, though he grumbled as he fell asleep on the floor. Ryou just shook his head. He couldn't wait to go back to his own bed, where everything smelled fresh and clean.

When morning finally hit, the first ray of sunlight coming through, Sami was already up. Having bathed and finding a fresh change of clothing in her bag, she took to spending the hours cleaning the house before anyone else was up. There wasn't much else for her to do; she wasn't tired, and Rush made it clear he didn't want to be walked beforehand. So, she took to the first floor. She scrubbed the floors, swept the wooden floor in the hall, vacuumed the rugs, and dusted everything that had even the thinnest layer of dirt on it. As she wiped her forehead, she saw it was now getting to be near eight in the morning. She'd been up for a little more than two hours and a half now. Which she regretted as she stifled a yawn. Three hours of sleep wasn't enough. That, and she was hungry. She needed food. She walked up the stairs and into Yaten's room, finding Ryou asleep on the old mattress. She blinked, and crept closer.

"Breakfast time," she said, and shook him. Ryou opened his eye, at first unable to register what he was looking at. He shifted, and opened an eye again. It fell on Sami. He blinked. Why was Sami here? Then he remembered; she had stayed the night. He sat up slowly.

"Is it really morning?" he asked, getting out of bed. He didn't listen to Sami's answer. He figured he'd learn it himself as he grabbed the string that opened the blinds. He pulled it, and screamed as the sun blared through his father's window, blinding him temporarily. He backed away, knocking into Sami in the process. She yelped, grabbing his arm as she fell, which resulted in both of them slamming into Bakura. He woke up with a scream, and flailed about trying to shove whatever was on him off. He ended up tangling his arms in the covers, and eventually, all of them fell from the bed to the ground, the blanket rolling off as they landed with a mighty crash.

"Damn it, get off!" Bakura roared, shoving them away, "I couldn't breathe!" Ryou blushed furiously, as it had pretty much been his fault it happened. Sami just raised an amused brow, looking around the room. Ryou had done his best to clean up, but even in daylight, the room still smelled terrible.

"Tell you truth, I'm surprised I found you both alive," she said, as she began to walk to the door, "Smells worse in there than an Erul's ass." Ryou blinked, wondering what the hell an Erul could've been. He guessed it was a monster from another world. Before Sami walked out, she glanced back and saw that, in the midst of their terror, they had managed to knock the mattress down completely. She laughed as she said, "Sorry about that, Ryou." Ryou just shook his head and sighed, following her. Bakura was too angry to bother; he just wanted to go back to bed.

"Don't worry. It was a land mine waiting to blow last night," he grumbled, as they descended the stairs. Then he stopped and looked into his living room. His mouth dropped. He had expected to come down to a horrible mess. Instead, the first floor had been swept and cleaned. He looked at Sami; she had mentioned being fond of cleaning. "Did you do this?"

"Of course. I said I would," she reminded him, and then her stomach growled, "…which reminds me. I'm hungry. Tell me that idiot you call a father left you some food." Ryou's skin paled. In all honesty, his father was lucky if he remembered to do the shopping every week or so. It'd been some time since that happened, and while Ryou was good at picking up a few things occasionally, he hadn't done the shopping since before he had been abducted. He highly doubted there was food. At least, that there was anything edible.

"Let's… go out to eat," he suggested, and ran into the closet to swipe a credit card from his father. He knew stealing was wrong, but technically, neither of them had money, and they both needed to eat. If Yaten was going to have a problem with it, he'd have to deal with it as well. Ryou nodded, and walked out of the house with Sami. He led her to the old station wagon that served as the family car, and went to go into the driver seat. She immediately stopped him.

"Whoa, kiddo. Didn't you say you were only seventeen?" she asked him, and when he nodded, she asked, "Should you even be driving?"

"Can you?" he retorted. She took the keys, shoved him out of the seat, and sat down. Ryou frowned. That was rather rude, but he did see her point. If he was arrested, he'd definitely be in trouble. So, he didn't argue. He got into the passenger side, and Sami took off. She took off too fast, in Ryou's opinion, as she sped around a corner. His eye twitched, wishing she'd slow down, but at the very least, she was a good driver. She hadn't hit anything yet. Nor did she hit anything period as she slowed and pulled into a restaurant parking look. They both got out, and she grinned.

"Yes," she replied, answering his question from before, "I can." He grumbled under his breath, and they walked to the front door.

"Thanks for driving," he mumbled, and opened the door into a large, ornate entrance hall. The reception desk stood there, and the hostess immediately seated them. The restaurant was large and dim, as it was still quite early out. Not many people had come in yet, but as Sami's eyes adjusted, she saw that it wasn't quite a restaurant. It was a very well-kempt café. After they had sat down, a man with a wiry mustache and a very pointed nose rushed to them, smiling as though the world were absolutely perfect. Because he happened to be in it.

"Bonjour, monsieur and mademoiselle!" he exclaimed in a thick, French accent, "How may I help you? Would you like some, how you say, breakfast?" Sami tried not to laugh at him. He seemed just a little too eager to help them. She glanced at her menu quickly.

"Blueberry pancakes and a side order of eggs," she said, "Oh, and if you have rum and coke, I'll take one." Ryou eyed her warningly. He felt her love of alcohol was beginning to border on the somewhat extreme. Especially since she'd had whiskey _the previous night_. But he didn't comment. He had to focus on his own order, since the waiter was waiting for him. But he just couldn't decide, and Sami finally said, "He'll have an omelette, and two biscuits. Both with butter and jam." The waiter nodded, and left to fulfill his orders. Ryou's mouth dropped in disbelief as he stared from the waiter, to Sami herself.

"First of all, how did you know I wanted that!?" he demanded, though he knew magic was the culprit. Again. "Second, why did you do that!?"

"You weren't moving fast enough," she replied simply, "I'm hungry. Unless you want me to eat _you_ next time, order a bit faster." Ryou's eye twitched. Now that the immediate danger was gone, he was beginning to see Sami wasn't always so controlled with herself. She was actually pretty pushy. Especially when _she_ happened to be concerned at all. He grumbled, and looked around to see who else was there. One table held an elderly couple. Another, towards the back, held the school bullies. He couldn't believe they were _eating_ in such a _clean place_. And he also couldn't believe their leader, Ushio, was _walking toward them_! He buried his face in a menu as Sami watched in mild bewilderment.

"Well, well, if it isn't Cryou Bakura," he exclaimed, grinning, "What's the local crybaby doing here, eh?" Ryou looked at him with furrowed brows. Ushio wasn't exactly _mean_ to Ryou, but he had a bad reputation. And a thick skull. Ryou would have to be blunt to get rid of him.

"Hehe, Ushio…" Ryou began, not letting Sami hear the malice in him as he lowered his voice, "Go away!" Unfortunately, Ushio didn't feel like listening to him.

"Awww, what's the matter, Cryou?" he asked, "Can't we talk to friends?" This time, Ryou decided to drop the nice boy routine. It wouldn't have worked anyway. He sighed, turning away from the older man.

"We're not friends," he said, "Go away. We're dining here." Sami gave Ushio a skeptical glance as she analyzed him carefully. Judging by his expression, he was clearly just trying to annoy Ryou. And for whatever reason she just couldn't understand, Ryou wasn't going to raise a finger to him. She'd have to do that herself. Which she was fine with. Fighting was, after all, her best skill.

"What was that, piss ant!?" Ushio demanded, not so kind any longer, "You want to fight me, maggot?" Sami finally stood up, her face hard and grave. She stood up so suddenly, with such authority, Ryou almost thought he was watching a queen rise from her throne. She looked angry enough, anyway.

"You really want to mess with us?" she asked Ushio angrily, and Ryou saw her eyes turn red again. That was a sure sign of fury. When Ushio didn't answer her, she went, "Well!? Answer me! Are you or are you not a damn coward!?" Ryou had a hard time remembering she was only four years his senior. She seemed so much older in that instance. Ushio was terrified.

"Well, I…" Ushio began, but Sami scoffed, shaking her head. Her hand rested on the hilt of her ever-lingering sword.

"I guess you are," she said, an odd smirk on her face, "Just a big, dumb idiot of a coward who likes to piss people off and keep them from doing what they want. Like eating my breakfast. And guess what? I don't like it much. And I don't like when I don't like things much. Get what I'm saying?" Ushio might not have, but Ryou did. That was a threat. He prayed Sami didn't carry it out, but at that moment, Ushio lost his fear. Stupid idiot, he was.

"Hey! Who the fuck do you think you _are_, bitch?" he demanded, and Sami indeed drew her sword. Ryou's eyes widened. This spelled trouble. Or murder. And most probably both.

"I'm the one who'll send you to an early grave if you don't _leave us the hell alone!_" she exclaimed angrily, "Now _GET LOST!_" This time, Ushio's fear came back in a crash. He stumbled back, and fell to the floor.

"N-no! I'm sorry!" he stammered, getting up, "I'm sorry, man! Just don't kill me with that thing! I won't bother you again!" With that, Ushio opened the door and ran out. Sami just snorted softly and sheathed her sword, watching the coward's back shrink as he ran. Silence fell in the restaurant until Ryou spoke again.

"Sami, sit down," he demanded, as the waiter served them their food. They ate it in silence, slowly. They knew all eyes were upon them.

"Bastard had no right harassing you," she finally growled in response, as she finished the rest of her food. Ryou didn't say anything to her. He finished in silence, and after they paid, he drove them home. With rum in her, Ryou didn't trust her already reckless skills to be any better on the road. Not that she crashed or anything, but he'd learned from his own father that drunk driving was a dumb idea. He just couldn't believe that Sami drank.

"I can't believe you drew your sword!" he exclaimed in disbelief as he drove, "And in a public place! Isn't that against the law!?" Sami's brows raised as she considered that. Yes, it _was_ illegal to do. But many people, including the police themselves, did that for even less reason than she had. She shrugged.

"What of it?" she asked, and then said, "It's a good thing he ran. Next time I see him, I'm shoving my pistol so far up his ass, he'll spit bullets." Ryou sighed, wishing she would stop being so damn difficult. He pulled into his driveway and they departed from the car, to find that someone was on Ryou's porch. Sami handed him her pistol, but he ignored her as he walked up to see who it was. It just happened to be his father, Yaten.

"Dad!?" Ryou exclaimed. Yaten turned around, and Ryou practically tackled him over. He chuckled, patting his boy on the head.

"Nice to see you too," he said, and then somberly asked, "But son, why am I locked out of the house? Where'd you go? And who is this?" He pointed to Sami, and Ryou noted the look of extreme disapproval in his father's expression. Clearly, he assumed she was his girlfriend.

"Her name's Sami," he said, and the hesitated, "She's… a friend… from… Battle City! She was a friend from there!" Sami looked skeptically at him, and he knew she didn't condone his lie for a second. But she didn't say anything against him. Yaten looked at her carefully, raising a brow when he saw her rather large, pointed ears.

"Isn't she a little old for you, son?" he asked, and Ryou's face went crimson as Sami controlled her laugh, "Or are you working for one of those escort services I hear about?" This time, Sami did laugh. And this time, Ryou's face actually went to such a deep shade, his hair began to turn pink.

"_DAD!_" he screamed, "Damn it, she's my friend!" Yaten just nodded slowly, but Ryou knew he didn't believe that for a second. Never mind that it was true. Yaten already made his assumptions, and all powers to the fool who thought he could change that.

"Right, and I'm an idiot," Yaten replied, as he unlocked the door and went inside, "Just don't get yourself involved in anything bad, son. And if she asks you for anything on the perverted side, just say no." Ryou moaned in utter disbelief as his dad walked into their house. He was eternally grateful Sami _had_ cleaned; Yaten wouldn't know what really happened. He turned back to Sami, who was close to falling down from her laughter.

"I'm so sorry you were subjected to that," he said to her. She finally began to recover, and she shook her head, adjusting her glasses before they fell off.

"It's better than being with Malik," she commented, and laughed, patting Ryou on the shoulder, "Come on. We'd better think of another story in case your dad asks about _your_ room. I haven't cleaned it yet." Ryou's face paled. That _was_ bad. But for right then, he could ignore it. Right then, his life was back to normal. If only he knew how fragile normality was, the damned idiot.

-----------------------------(End Story)

And now everything's back to normal. At least, for right then. But obviously, something bad happens, because I already have more stories about Ryou and Sami. So, now that one Mystic is dead, who will come after Ryou next? Will Sami ever find out who she is? Why did the Mystics go after them in the first place? And, will Kaiba ever throw another party again? Find out in the next story, Ryou Bakura: Chaos Master (currently known as Childhood's End), and click that Review button!


End file.
